A Cherry Blossom's Life
by sharkswillruledaWORLD
Summary: Born to the leaders of the most dangerous criminal organization, Sakura is taken to hiding in the peaceful village, Konoha. Follow Haruno Sakura as she grows up, learns much and love all the same. See as she endeavors to become one of the strongest kunoichis. Prequel to 'Love and War'. ItaSaku non-mass
1. Prologue

_**A Cherry Blossom's Life~**_

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**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto

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**Summary:** Born to the leaders of the most dangerous criminal organization, Sakura is taken to hiding in the peaceful village, Konoha. Follow Haruno Sakura as she grows up, learns much and love all the same. See as she endeavors to become one of the strongest kunoichis. Prequel to 'Love and War'. ItaSaku non-mass

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**Prologue:**

A dark figure walked briskly through the multiple corridors of the building. His fiery orange hair flowed in an unruly way as the man swiftly opened the door leading to the living room where all his subordinates were waiting for him anxiously. Although no one was showing his true emotions, a frozen silence engulfed the awaiting men, normally all lively or rather all fighting. Upon his entrance, many heads looked up, patiently waiting for their leader to talk. Said leader rose an eyebrow, silently asking them to report all the day's happenings. A green haired man with a Venus flytrap on his shoulders started reporting. He had one side black while the other was white.

"Konan-sama is with the midwives. **She started yelling like a banshee.** They locked the door about half an hour ago and no one is allowed to enter.** I wonder how the brat will taste, sweet or bitter, hmm.**"

"She fuckin' started cussing like a damned sailor. The plant's too much a pussy, hahaha. He couldn't say she called you a fucking wimp who banged her and left her with the bitches."

A silver haired man, wearing a chain indicating he's a Jashinist, interrupted the strange man. The leader stared at him, before shaking his head at the idiocy of the foulmouthed member, silently wondering why he decided to let him join his organization. He was interrupted from his musings by the ex-Mizu nin, also one of the seven legendary swordsmen of Mist.

"Leader-sama, forget about the two idiots and go to Konan-sama. Women are most troublesome while giving birth."

The shark man was right. He should go before his wife wrecked havoc even before his baby was born. Also, he wanted to be present when said baby will give his -or her- first cry. He nodded before turning toward the door on his left that led to the nursery. He stopped at the door, looking back at the white haired man.

"Hidan, I would stop cussing once my child is born..." The threat was left unsaid. However the silence that followed was louder than any yell or noise. It was apparent that it was more of a promise than a threat. The orange haired leader closed the door after him, leaving in his wake the rest of the members openly staring at the closed door still in shock. They didn't know what was more scary, the promise made by the leader or his show of open protectiveness. Said members could only shiver at the thought of their feared leader being overprotective about his baby being a girl, if she was a girl, oh and when she'd start dating. What could they possibly do. They just knew that he'll send them to either incapacitate the unfortunate boy or kill him. A sigh left their lips at the same time. Their life would be just too much of a hassle if it was a girl. Hopefully their offspring will be a boy.

Then again, boys are always too much hyperactive. At least, girls were more silent, give them a doll and they won't stop playing until you want them. However, the baby would have to live with them first. Living with criminals wasn't the best choice for raising kids. They were too much of a bad influence for little kids. It would be best for everyone if the baby was left in the care of a village, preferably a hidden village so at least the kid could grow up to be a ninja. And who knows, maybe they'll meet later at a battlefield. They'll be opposing each others, true, but it's still better than growing up as a civilian. They're whiny, snobbish and greedy at best, and inspiring mercenaries or playing ninjas at worst. They heard their leader's partner cries and a handful of colorful words by the same person.

The feared members inched slowly to the door, all except the miser of their group. Once their ears were glued to the door, they could hear the soft voice of their leader trying to calm his partner. Wait, their leader talking softly? They've seen everything. Apparently the soft spoken words had the opposite effect of what they were meant to do. A shrill yell broke from the blue haired woman's throat, immediately scaring the already worried Akatsuki members. Worried? Tsk, as if they, the most dangerous criminals in the ninja world, can't be worried. The sun will have to set east first before they'd be worried about something, or even someone for that matter.

The eavesdropping members, meaning the Jashinsit and the blue skinned man, were shocked to the core when they felt Kakuzu open the door carelessly, as if it was the most natural thing to do. They openly gaped at him when they saw him walk casually toward the temporary nursery. The ex-Mizu nin shook his head ruefully, pitying him and slightly thinking that they'd need to look for a new partner for the Jashinist. He looked back at the arguing Zetsu. Maybe he'll be Hidan's new partner. Who knows, at least if he ever annoyed Zetsu, then perhaps with a little bit of luck he'll be eaten.

He heard the door from where leader entered open as a duo entered. Akasuna Sasori and Orochimaru. They were the creepiest members in the organization, after Zetsu with his preference for human flesh. Sasori, a puppet master from Suna who transforms humans to puppets, thus making his art, is rumored to have killed the third Kazekage. Orochimaru, an ex-Konoha ninja, experiments on humans, especially kids, and transforms them to killing machines for his own twisted entertainment. They both stopped at the entrance, wondering why the two members were in such a strange position. The puppetsmaster, who was no longer in one of his puppets, raised an eyebrow, waiting for an answer.

"Konan-sama is giving birth." The holder of Samehada blurted rapidly. It was a well-known fact that for whatever reason, Sasori hated more than anything else wait and keep someone waiting. Besides, they all remember what he did to his previous partner who apparently couldn't arrive in time to save his own life. So it should be no surprise that he'd kill him. What none took in consideration was that once the ex-Suna ninja was angered, nothing could suffice his revenge. Needless to say that the leader chose wisely his next partner, who was yet another creeper.

"I see." He said before walking past them toward the nursery.

_'Crazy. They're all crazy.' _Was the only thought that went through Kisame's head. Turning toward his partner in crime, he nodded before following the red head. The shouts stopped abruptly, immediately alerting the two men who started running like there was no tomorrow. A shrill yell interrupted the tense silence. It was the baby. Entering the nursery, they found everyone surrounding the couple and the midwives. They wondered how the snake Sanin and Zetsu arrived before them, before mentallu facepalming. they must have shunshined here, or in Zetsu's case using his freaking powers. they stared at Konan, or rather what was in konan's hands. A bundle of joy was held by a tired looking Konan. In all his years of serving the orange headed male, Kisame would swear readily that he had never seen his leader's face show any kind of emotion. Yet today, the blue man could identify joy, happiness, relief and even apprehension or is it worry? Nonetheless, no one had the courage, nor were they stupid enough, to comment on it.

The midwives left the room leaving the dangerous organization, silently pitying the newborn baby who will grow in such a dangerous environment. After closing the door as discreetly as possible which was still too loud for the trained ears of the missing-nins, a silence engulfed the room. The baby, who was minutes ago crying as loudly as humanly possible, now was looking at the different men staring at it. No one, except the couple, knew the gender of the newborn baby. The silence was soon interrupted by the hearty laughter of Kisame who snapped the attention of the rest of the members.

"Well, well, it seems the brat isn't afraid from us? Too bad I always wanted to scare kids. So is it a boy or a girl?" His question was met with a silence that lasted a few minutes.

"Sakura. Her name is Akatsuki no Sakura." The booming voice of the leader of the organization answered his question.

How fitting! With her bright, curious green eyes and the small patch of pink hair that resembled eerily to a cherry blossom. She was so different from her parents, her small body so fragile and her innocent eyes that didn't belong to a criminal organization. Konan smiled a soft smile. She nodded before asking her husband if he wanted to take the girl. If before the members were surprised that their leader showed any kind of emotion, now they were nothing short of flabbergasted that he looked hesitant, as if afraid to break the baby. And it was absolutely normal, after all their hands were so used to kill and to take lives, not to gentleness and love. Orochimaru turned to leave the room with a crazed glint in his eyes, clearly he planned to use the newborn baby. Apparently the orange headed man also caught the dangerous glint in his eyes.

"This baby is untouchable, Orochimaru. If something were to ever happen to her, you'll be the first to be killed. And no one is to talk about her. Those who are in this room and the midwives are the only ones to know of her existence, am I clear?"

"Hai, leader-sama." No one could go against the Akatsuki leader. Even if they conjured their efforts, he still has the Reningan, which could easily overthrow their powers. The snake Sanin left the room, clearly displeased by this new development. Yet, they all knew that she still needed to be protected, although he promised not to harm her. Once Pein took the baby in his arms, she stared in his ringed eyes, mesmerized by their atypicality. She slowly put her much smaller hand on his cheek. They all thought that she'll start pulling on his piercings. However, she surprised them all when she started patting his cheek, then playing with his hair. They all stared at the unique scene, some showing their surprise more so than others, namely Kisame and Hidan.

To their utter surprise, the leader smiled, an actual smile, not a smirk or a sadistic grin that promised torture and pain, but a gentle and love-filled smile. Well, now they have seen everything. He slowly turned the baby so she faced the rest of the members and started introducing them. Maybe the leader has truly lost it, that would explain why he was so not himself today. The little girl looked at them all, not in fright or horror, only curiosity shined in her lively eyes. After staring at them for what felt like an eternity, the brat smiled at them, a kind, accepting smile. A smile that slowly brought down all their defenses and crumbled all the walls they so diligently built. Maybe she was their little hope that will save them. Their angel that will bring them out from the darkness that was eating away at their souls.

She was their saving grace.

Their Tenshi.

Not now. Now she was too fragile, she can't protect herself. So until she could pull her own weight, they'll protect her from the world. They'll protect her innocence from tarnishing too quickly. However they all were dangerous criminals, if she was to live with them, she'll lose her purity all the quicker. Then she'll be like them. And that can't happen, even if they had to leave her, even if she had to grow up separated from her family. A ninja village was the best choice, it was better growing up as a ninja than growing up feeling like there was a missing piece in her life, after all she was the heiress of one of the most dangerous men to be. Even if that meant that at some point they'll have to be on different sides of the battlefield. Everyone drew the same conclusion, based upon the determined look on all the members' faces.

"Sakura will be taken to Konohagakure in five months. It's the most peaceful ninja village and the least she'll have problems in being accepted." The leader's voice was clipped, proving that it was inevitable for the little girl to grow up with her family.

The rest of the persons present in the room nodded, albeit a little reluctant at the thought to leave their light. Even if they have just met her, they became so fond of her that it was quite disconcerting. Although they have being partners for years now, they wouldn't care less if one of them was to be killed; they all knew what the life of a ninja included. But now they'll live with the little Tenshi and make her happy for the months she'll stay with them. Until she leaves Konoha, they'll all try their hardest to make her always happy. Once she leaves, they'll just have to keep an eye out for whatever is happening in Konoha, especially with that Danzou in the shadows. Besides a little detour once in a while won't hurt anyone. Now they'll just have to keep the little girl's presence unknown to everyone.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" her cries immediately snapped their attention.

As all the members scurried around looking like lost puppies, a discreet smile shined on the blue haired mother. Sakura is their light and their savior from the darkness. And she had already started changing the members for the better.

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**Summer! **

**Yes! I finally finished my exams and all the school work and holidays started. And that means regular AND fast (I hope -.-') updates. But now I can finally relax and well it's like liberation from slavery, that's exactly how I feel now :D**

**Yeah, apart from holidays :) this is the long awaited preview, well for me at least it is. As you have probably already guessed, I'm going to write Sakura's life from her arrival in Konoha to the war. Though the title should be enough indication. I'm going to try a week an update, or maybe more updates if I can, who knows.**

**Also, for those who already knows of my other stories, it's going to be like this: **

**'A Cherry Blossom's Life' then 'Love and War' then 'A New Chapter'**

**So tell me what you think ;) is it better written? What do you thnk of the general idea and stuff. **

**SharkswillruledaWORLD is out :)**


	2. Chapter 1: Mess in the Akatsuki Headquar

_**A Cherry Blossom's life**_

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**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**A/N: this chapter is going to be like snapshots from the daily life of Sakura's first five months with the Akatsuki.**

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**Chapter 1: Mess in the Akatsuki Headquarter**

The sun was shining. The birds were singing. And the deer were eating grass.

A bright and calm day in the land of River that would have lasted eternity...

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!"

... Hadn't the Akatsuki base been in this land and the leader of said organization didn't choose this base to protect his daughter from the harsh weather of Amegakure. Now the once lively forest became deadly silent. All the birds, deer and all kinds of animals flew away, afraid of the obviously hungry human. It is a known fact that humans are distinguished from animals thanks to their brains. That would mean that humans are supposed to be more intelligent than animals, which means that humans should know the cause of a problem and from there, try to solve it. Sadly, life isn't fair. Thus it should be no surprise that animals know that the previous cry was due to hunger while humans believe that it was because the baby wanted to become of follower of Jashin. Yes, life can be hard, especially when you're missing some important braincells.

"Hidan, dammit! The brat doesn't want to become a crazy sadist like you, you idiot! How did you even think that she wants to?!" Came the booming voice of one blue skinned man.

"Shaddup fucker! Jashin-sama tells me when he sees a fucking follower and-" Was his crude retort.

"You son of a bitch! Stay away from my darling daughter or I'll shove your balls so far up your ass you'll fucking throw them up!" A soft yet angry voice interrupted him.

Ah! Life is so beautiful, don't you agree? The sun is still shining, the animals are at an enough far away distance not to hear the shouts coming from the... Er the now silent base. Silence, finally! Would have been the thoughts of the animals.

"Dammit bitch is PMSing!" And we were so close to have a full minute of silence.

"HIDAAAAN!"

"Hmm... I think we can eat the brat now. I wonder if she'll taste like cherries? No we can't eat leader-sama's daughter. It isn't really nice to do so. Who cares about being nice. Besides we've just eaten the spies. Yeah. But they taste like dirt, the brat is still so small like a cherry tomato. Hmm..." Of course Zetsu would be arguing with himself.

However, we seem to forget a certain someone who started all this mess. In fact, why did the small baby stop crying?

"Annoying. The brat wanted to eat, idiots. If you still manage to get in this mess, I'll change you all into puppets." Came a bored voice that belonged to a certain redhead. Said redhead was cradling a one week old baby with bright pink hair and puffy green eyes. She was drinking milk from a baby's bottle.

"Aww you care for little Saku-chan! I'm so proud of you. With a little efforts maybe we can see a real smile someday." She gave a wishful sigh. "A mother can always dream."

"Hn. Here, take your brat. And don't let her annoy me anymore."

"Ah! But Sasori-san, if she bothers you so much, you can always give her to me. I have an amazing way with kids." Came the troubling voice of the snake Sanin who received glares from everyone in the room.

"You are all morons." Was the leader's only comment.

Yes, a normal day with the Akatsuki and the baby of course.

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"Eww... Who killed and forgot to give Zetsu the body? Hidan, you moron! Did you do one of your rituals and didn't open the windows?" Came Konan's voice as she walked in the living room.

"Why is it always me?!" was his angry response. "It's your fuckin' darlin who shat herself!"

"Hidan sweetie..." said the blue haired mother in a sugar coated voice. "What did I tell you about your cursing habits when my baby girl was born?" An audible gulp followed her question. "Yes, I explicitly told you to stop if you didn't want me to behead you. Now, did you do as I said?"

The entire Akatsuki headquarter was submerged in a tense silence.

"ANSWER THE FREAKING QUESTION! Did you do as I said?" She clutched a butcher knife that seemed to appear from nowhere.

"No ma'am."

"No. I already knew it, you fool. Now because of your dirty mouth my sweet baby is going to have a sailor's mouth. And why is that? Because you stupid moron can't stop your freaking tendencies! Because you don't know when to stop and when to shut up. And you know what happens to bad boys who don't listen to their mommies, they get their heads cut. COME HERE YOU LITTLE SHNIZZ!"

And so the normally coolheaded woman started chasing the apologizing Jashinist around the base. During the whole afternoon Konan was running after Hidan around the base until she cornered him. And thus started their battle which lasted throughout the night until the leader's partner managed to cut the silver headed man into mutilated pieces. Unfortunately for the cut man, his partner who usually put him back was in a bounty hunt and won't return until the day after the next. And that means that the mutilated man won't be a whole man until two days later and will remain pieces that may or may not be eaten by the different animals.

As Konan walked away, she thought about her poor darling and how she managed to live the whole day without her mommy to feed her, and how she stayed asleep while she and Hidan made so much noise. Running toward her daughter's bedroom, the poor woman got the shock of her life upon finding her bed empty. She already knew that Sasori was on a mission in Kumo with his partner, which meant that Orochimaru couldn't have taken her. Also, she knew that Zetsu wouldn't eat her however he was still a possibility. Shunshening to her husband's office, she was flabbergasted upon seeing her daughter sleeping soundly in her father's lap while he played with her soft pink locks. She smiled softly at the scene before her walking toward her partner.

"How did she manage to sleep with us running around and yelling?"

"I put a soundproof jutsu around the office to stop any noise coming from outside. I also changed her diapers and bottle-fed her and played with her for the day." He told his wife proudly.

"Oh, I see that you're becoming quite a master at dealing with children."

"No, not all children, just Sakura. She's after all our princess and she'll do many great things when she grows up. But for now, she'll just enjoy her childhood with us." He said with a soft look in his eyes.

"Do we have to take her to Konoha? I'm sure we can protect perfectly here, even from him."she asked him, desperation clear in her voice."

"No. You know how _he_ is. Once _he_ discovers her presence here, and that there is the possibility that she's a bearer of the Rinnigan, _he'll_ want to use her as _his_ killing tool. I know _he'll_ want to transform her into up _his_ own little killing machine and we can't have that."

She sighed deeply before placing a kiss on his cheek. Taking the pink haired baby in her hands, she pulled him toward their shared bedroom.

"Come on, I'm sure you're exhausted and the office isn't a comfortable sleeping place, at all."

_**~Somewhere else in the base~**_

"Hey! Come back here!" Echoed the strangled voice of the silver haired man through the empty base. "A least put me in my room! Common! Hello, anyone there?! Can someone look at my left leg? I feel like something is crawling on my toes. Hey bit-believe it! Something is crawling there! Put at least my body somewhere safe from these freaking animals! Leader-sama! Konan, you blasted woman! I swear I'm gonna sacrifice you once I get back my body."

While the family went to sleep, the mutilated Jashinsit continued yelling throughout the night. Yes, another ordinary day in the Akatsuki base.

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_**~End of the first month/April~**_

"Leader-sama," started Kakuzu during dinner, "If you hadn't already noticed, I'm going to inform you all that our expenses for the last month has increased by at least 15%, in comparison with March. And I must say that's all because of our newest...addition, whether be it powdered milk, clothes, supplies and especially diapers."

"We do have a baby in the house, right?" Came Kisame's snide comment which was followed by the Jashinist's loud laughter."

"Which is why you've been going on bounty hunts for the last month and Hidan is working with Kisame." Was the leader's answer to the miser's remarks, completely ignoring Kisame's comment.

"Kakuzu, are you insinuating that we should get rid of my sweet darlin?" came Konan's sharp voice who had stopped feeding the pink baby.

The awaiting baby looked around the room with curious eyes. While her mother was busy glaring and fighting against the stingy man, she missed the frown that marred the baby's face upon seeing the snake Sanin; unlike the redhead who was staring intensely at the pink haired girl. Turning her gaze abruptly toward him, she gave a soft smile and received a small one that went unnoticed by most except from the leader and the blue skinned man. Raising her small hands toward the redhead, the little girl started whimpering, immediately grabbing her mother's attention.

"Yes, sweetie? Mommy is here. Do you want me to buy you something?" The pinkette continued whimpering and pointing her hands toward the ex-Suna ninja who looked stunned at the scene in front of him. Did the little brat want him? The poor mother who didn't understand why her daughter would raise her hands in the air, started lulling her to sleep, without much progress."

"Perhaps she wants to go to Sasori." Said the leader of the Akatsuki with a slight smirk.

His suggestion received a complete and utter silence from the sitting members. Konan who didn't know how to silence her daughter's cries gave her to Sasori. As soon as he took her in his arms, Sakura stopped her cries and started giggling. She put a hand on Sasori's cheek and immediately took it off. She just found out firsthand that Sasori was a puppet. Said puppet master looked downcast for a little moment, expecting the small girl to start crying. However she surprised them all when she put both her hands on his face and started looking directly in his eyes, as if reassuring him that she wasn't afraid or disgusted. Then, ripping him from his reverie, she giggled and began clapping her hands.

She was truly their princess, their angel. She didn't judge them the first day for being different. And today again, she didn't cry upon finding that Sasori was completely frozen, and unlike her parents, he didn't have blood rush through his veins. She was true art, with her ever lasting beauty. Even when she was crying, she remained beautiful. She was an ethereal being, an eternal beauty, an immortal angel. And she was theirs to be and stay forever. Although she was supposed to leave them in four months, the Akatsuki blood will forever remain in her, and she'll be one spitfire when she grows up. He just knew it.

"Aww... Welcome Saso-nii in the family. Now you're going to be her older brother, and who knows maybe you'll be her boyfriend or husband when she grows up." Konan said in a happy voice that completely opposed the horrified silence that followed her statement.

"No, she will not date anyone from this organization, and for anyone else she'll wait until she's at least twenty one." Retorqued the horrified father.

"Kukuku... I'm sure Konan, that I'll make a much better husband for our sweet little Saku-chan than Sasori." came the perverted response of the snake Sanin.

"Oh hell no! She can't walk, even less talk, and you're already planning whom she's marrying. You're sick, people. Completely sick." Said one disgusted shark man as the Jashinist next to him roared with laughter.

"Ya kiddin, right? I'm freakin gonna sacrifice the brat while she's still young and innocent."

"Hmm... I still think that she'll taste like cherry. No, we can't eat her. You know that she's important to leader-sama, don't you? So what? It doesn't mean that I can't have a taste of her if I want to. No, we'll just have to eat the spies that try to attack us."

"Shut up you ignorant fools. Don't you know that she can always work as a little entertainer in some bar or something, and when she grows up she can go on missions."

"You will all shut up and start eating in silence, now." The booming voice of the leader interrupted all chatter.

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~_**A few weeks later/End of May~**_

"Hey there, blossom!" said Kisame as soon as he entered the young pinkette's room. "Uncle is here and he brought you a surprise!" Sakura looked at him curiously from her crib, her still full bottle laying forgotten on her bed. "Look what do I have here, a brand new toy, a plush bear!" Upon seeing the bear in his arms, she started giggling and clapping her arms. "Do you like it? Here take it." He gave her the new toy while smiling at her antics.

Sakura immediately started pulling the bear's ears, its nose, arms and feet. He burst out laughing. He didn't know if she saw her mother cutting Hidan or if it was simply in her blood, but she sure promised to be a kickass kunoichi if she continued like this. Taking her and her toy in his arms, he sat in the armchair that was put next to the little girl's crib. Putting Sakura on his knees so she was facing him, he looked directly in her eyes for a few moments before he started talking to her.

"Listen to me Sakura, you should always kick the boys who try to get in your pants, whoever they may be. And if they were from some prestigious clan, well, all the better. When you grow up, I want you to always show 'em all who's the boss, and that's you." He said while putting a finger on her chest, then taking her new bear, he continued. "You see what you did to your new toy, you immediately started pinching it and kicking it. I want you to do the same thing to anyone who tries to bother you. And if it's a boy and he's stronger than you, well then I'll tell you a secret. Always kick him between his legs. And if it's a girl, then punch her in her stomach or even better her chest, okay?" He pulled her up by her armpits. "You promise me to always be a kickass kunoichi, so when you grow up, I'll hear news about you from wherever I may be, promise me this alright? Okay then, who wants to fly? Watch out here comes Sakura the eagle!"

And so Kisame started playing with Sakura, acting as if the previous moments didn't happen at all, unaware that one Jashinist heard every word he said.

"Damn brat, even Kisame is enchanted by her. Every single one of them would do anything for the stupid crybaby. At least, Kakuzu doesn't listen to her shit." The silver haired man thought loudly before he sauntered toward his room, to prepare for his next sacrifice. "Stupid brat, only three months before she leaves. She doesn't belong here, she's not fit to be a ninja with her bright colors and she's still too innocent, the real world's gonna kill her." Who knew that Hidan disliked the little pink haired girl? Or was he simply worried about her?

"You're wrong." Came Sasori's voice from behind the Jashinist, immediately startling him. "It's because we know her hidden potential that we protect her so much now. We know that her innocence won't last forever, but we also know that she's gonna save everyone, that's why we believe in her."

"Yeah right! She's better off married to some civilian and live the happily ever after like all little girls dream about." He sneered at the words sprouted from the normally indifferent ninja.

"That's where you and I disagree. She's not like all little girls. Didn't you see what she did to the dolls Konan-sama bought for her. They're all in the bin beheaded. That's why Kisame bought her a bear." With that said, the redhead walked leisurely to his room, leaving behind a stunned Jashinist who started seeing the hiding demon behind the disguise of an angel as who she really was.

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**_June~_**

Weeks passed and the little girl was always babied and spoiled by not only both her parents but also most of the Akatsuki members, everyone but Kakuzu and Hidan. Even Zetsu brought her plants and would sometimes read her the story of the little flower who would eat everyone who didn't like her. One day while Kakuzu was on yet another bounty hunt and Hidan was taking his bath, little Sakura who was playing in the living room found a weird circle that clearly wasn't hers. So like all three months old babies, she put the extravagant piece of metal in her mouth. However she didn't like how it tasted, so she took it and stared at it long and hard. It was a metallic circle with a triangle in it.

The little girl started hitting it on the floor for a few minutes before getting bored and looking at it once again. Her mother Konan wanted to have the perfect little girl who always played with dolls and enjoyed wearing pink fluffy clothes. Thus why she always bought her new dolls whenever she beheaded the old one. However little Sakura was a stubborn little girl, and if she didn't want dolls, she didn't want them and that's final. And not even her mother's surveillance would stop her from killing the ugly dolls. And so the young pink haired girl started beheading the dolls using this time the weird metallic circle. It was easier this way, and she didn't want her mother to take it.

Little Sakura worked diligently at cutting off the heads of her dolls. She enjoyed what she was doing so much that she didn't notice the silver heared man walk in the living room.

"Yo, Konan! Where the freak is my necklace?"

"Shut up you moron! I didn't see your stupid necklace, idiot!" Retorted Konan from the kitchen as he came in the living room with the milk for her baby daughter. Upon seeing what her darlin did, she screeched and made Hidan, who was looking at where his necklace could be, look up and screech like a little girl, however it was a manly yell of pain. Men don't screech and anyone who said otherwise would be his first sacrifice, dammit.

"What in the bleep is your bleeping necklace doing in my cute little baby girl's hands?!" she said as Hidan openly gaped at her effort to to curse loudly before roaring with laughter.

"Well, that's rich. Your freakin brat will be one of Jashin's follower! She's already killin with his necklace. Imagine what she'll do when she grows up." Hidan said as he doubled up with laughter.

"Sakura sweety, give mommy the necklace okay?" She shook her head and continued cutting off the dolls' head. Upon her refusal, Konan turned on the television where the baby looney toons was playing. The little girl as se saw her favorite show on, completely forgot the dolls, however he kept the weird circle clutched firmly in her hands. Konan sighed before turning toward the still laughing man. "Well, I guess you'll just have to buy a new one, since my darlin seems to have taken a liking to your stupid necklace." She said with a smirk while Hidan frozed in the middle of his laughter and started choking on air. Wait for it, 3, 2, 1 and...

"WHAT?! You can't be serious! Gimme back my necklace, you stupid brat!"

"She's not stupid you moron, she's much more intelligent than you are, you little piece of shnizz!"

"Oh yeah?! If she was, she'd know what's good for her and gimme back my necklace!"

"Shut up you sound like a whiny teenage girl throwing a temper tantrum with your 'I want my necklace back' !" And so they started yet another fight, however the little girl who was watching one of her favorite toons, didn't like the noise, at all. So she threw whatever she had in her hands at the mean man yelling at her mommy. She threw the necklace hitting him on his head."

"Ow... Who threw the freakin... My necklace!" Came his happy reply as he started cleaning his necklace.

"What a baby! Even my darlin doesn't act like that!" Huffed angrily Konan as she sat next to her daughter.

Ad so Hidan started liking little Sakura, even if he didn't show it and would never admit it. He was twisted like that. No one could understood the way Hidan's mind worked, and no one would ever understand.

* * *

**_July~_**

"I'm dying!" announced Kisame while lying in the floor. "Leader-sama, don't we have a mission in the land of Snow?"

"Yes." He answered immediately rising the blue man's hopes. "However Zetsu and Tobi already took it. Besides it's an infiltration one. And everyone know that Zetsu who usually do them."

"Noooooo!" He cried out.

"Oh! Stop your puerile behavior. You're supposed to be an S-class criminal." Retorqued Sasori in his bored voice.

"But it's hot!" Yelled Hidan who had opened the fridge and was sitting in front of it. "It's abnormally hot!"

"Shut up you moron, and make some place!" With that said, Kisame pushed Hidan and sat in his place and so started a fight about dominance.

It was a hot day. Even the usual cool winds that used to blow in the Land of River stopped. The heatwave that hit the land and its occupants let them all searching for shadow and water. The forest was silent, all the animals were hiding under the tree's shadows or were in the rivers. Even the usual lively organization was silent...

"Ah! Take this you moron!"

... Well except two, well, morons.

"Hey! Why don't we ask that Kakuzu freak to buy us an air-conditioner?" said Hidan excitedly.

"Well, who knew that you could say something intelligent once in a while!" Said an amused Kisame.

"Yeah... Hey!" Exclaimed Hidan which earned him chuckles from the rest of the members.

The Akatsuki members started looking out for Kakuzu. When they entered his bedroom, they would have been puddles of goo had they not been such dangerous criminals. It was such a relief entering Kakuzu's cool room especially when they were in the base's boiling corridors. However, they all got the shock of their lives upon seeing Sakura laying silently in Kakuzu's lap, who was counting his money over her head. He put his money gently on the desk before turning his head sharply toward the gaping members.

"What are you doing here?" He asked them impatiently.

"What's the brat doing here, Kaku-freak?!" Asked Hidan who seemed to be the first to snap from his shock. "Besides whyis our the room the only one that's not burning hot?!"

"Moron, Konan-sama went to fetch this brat's bottle. And my money need to be a kept at a constant temperature." He said monotonously.

"Aa." Was Sasori's only remark before he sat on a chair at one corner of the bedroom.

"What are you doing?" Asked him Kisame.

"If you idiots forgot, I'm keeping an eye on Kakuzu. After all, his plans for her are not the most respecting to a woman, let alone a little girl. I wonder what Konan was thinking." He shook his head. "Clearly she wasn't thinking." It was as if his answer lightened the little lamp.

"Oh yeah! Then I must sit too in this room." Said Kisame throwing himself on Kakuzu's bed soon to be joined by Hidan.

Little Sakura who could feel Kakuzu's boiling anger looked curiously at the rest of the members who were sitting around the room and frowned. She knew that Kakuzu liked to be alone, yet here they were, invading his personal space. She put her small hands on Kakuzu's big arms and began shaking it slowly until she got his attention. Then she put her right hand on the table where his money was put. He smiled softly at her, although it was hidden by his mask, before ruffling her hair and continuing counting where he left off.

"Morons. They don't know that Sakura deserves something better than any lowly bar. She's, after all, our princess."

_**~Later at night~**_

"Sorry Kakuzu I'm late, I didn't find any powdered milk in the kitchen so I had to go and..." Konan stopped in her tracks upon seeing a sleeping Kakuzu with a still awake Sakura in his arms. However that wasn't what startled her, it was the sight of the two grown men also napping. While everyone was dozing off, her darlin was looking over them all, especially Sasori who was making a small puppet that vaguely resembled to a geisha. She was truly their angel, their guardian angel.

As soon as she put her hands on Sakura, Konan found her hands clutched in the much bigger ones of Kakuzu. His eyes only opened once she started struggling against his grip. Apparently it was a natural reflex of his. Once he realized that it was Konan, he let her go with Sakura. As Konan closed the door behind her, she heard Kakuzu yelling at the two men in his room while Sasori followed her silently. As she put the little girl in her crib, she saw Sasori kiss her daughter's slightly wider forehead.

"Kakuzu cares about Sakura." Sasori said as Konan turned on the bedside lamp.

"I'm going, dammit, Kakuzu you freak!" Came the loud voice of Hidan as his hurried footsteps were heard.

"He always did. It was all a front." Konan said leaving Sasori behind her to mull over what she said.

"Perhaps he does." Sasori said as he turned toward his workshop.

* * *

**~End of August/fifth month~**

It was an early morning and already the summer's heat could be felt in the base. Fortunately the heatwave only lasted a fortnight, now at least a cool wind would sometimes blow through the Land of River. All members of the dangerous organization were eating breakfast silently, an unusual feat. However, it was all because of leader's earlier announcement. Today Sakura would be leaving to Konohagakure. Today Sakura would start her new life.

As Konan left the kitchen with Sakura's bottle filled with still hot milk, her husband reminded her to prepare what should be needed for the travel to the village hidden in the leaves. He wanted to leave now so he could arrive there at night. He knew he could infiltrate Konoha without anyone's notice, and if it became too bad he can always send Zetsu. He looked over the eating members. They all became too attached to his daughter, which could be a bad thing as it be a good one.

He knew that they'll want to keep an eye on Sakura, maybe as much as he wanted. And though it would guarantee his baby's safety, it could become too dangerous for his members to venture too close inside the Land of Fire. One could never know when they might be sighted by the Anbu, or even worse the ROOT members. He knew that Danzou was still controlling the ROOT even if it was thought that it was disbanded when the Fourth Hokage was named. He was a dangerous man, and if he knew of his daughter's origins, the leader was sure that Sakura wouldn't live as happily as he wanted her to be.

He needed to tread carefully while in Hi no Kuni, especially when he approaches Konohagakure. It was one of the main reasons why he wmated to live now. He knew that the Third Hokage would always take strolls around the village and sometimes inside the forest. However he was sure that he would enter the forest if he heard a baby's cry. Standing up, he looked over the awaiting members.

"None of you is to go inside Hi no Kuni, especially Konohagakure. We need to keep a low profile for now, however Zetsu would bring us updates on my daughter. And if any of you are interested, he may join me while he gives me his report, clear?" Everyone nodded, they knew not to go against their leader when he was talking either about his daughter or the organization's out of the kitchen, the orange headed man went toward his daughter's bedroom where he found his partner bottle feeding their pink haired child. She was talking to her as a single tear slid silently down her cheek. He stood outside, listening to his partner's last words to their daughter.

"... Remember Sakura to always listen to your elders, but if you think that they're not right, help them correct ther wrong thinking. Always eat your vegetables, so you can grow up to be a strong girl. Brush your teeth at least three times a day, so your bright smile will last forever. Always be kind to your friends, and always save a smile to anyone who needs it. Work hard in the Academy and listen to your teachers, be the best student and ninja, I'm sure you'll do great things. Always strive to be perfect but don't forget your happiness. Make a lot of friends, even if you have just a few, make them real friends that will help you in your hardship."

By now, her flushed cheeks were stained with tears. Her normally unemotional eyes were puffy and red from all the crying. The Akatsuki leader entered the bedroom, startling the blue haired woman who tried to clean up her face, in vain. She was stopped by her partner who hugged her and the awake child. She gasped before sobs began racking her entire body, the bottle laid forgotten on the floor. Little Sakura looked curiously at her parents. It wasn't an unusual sight to see them in each other's embrace, however she had never seen her mother crying so much. She started whimpering lightly, as if feeling her parent's pain, until her mother whose tears stopped, started lulling her to sleep.

She knew that Pein needed to travel fast if he wanted to arrive to Konoha at night. As she saw Sakura fell asleep, she gave her to the orange headed man before she started preparing her carriage and a small bag, for any eventual stop or accident during the trip. Konan put three boiling filled bottle, four dresses and six changes of diapers. After readying her carriage and the small pack, she took the littel pink haired girl from her husband's arms and put her in the carriage, covering her thickly with a spare light cover if the weather became too hot. Although it was summer, Pein would be moving fast through the trees, which will cause a cool wind to hit her darlings. While the leader was used to the changing weather, her sweet daughter has never been outside the base, which may cause problems on her health.

"Goodbye sweetie, I'll always love you, no matter what." She kissed her forehead, cheeks and lastly eyelids, before she stood up and hugged her husband for reassurance. They've been arguing over her departure for the last months, and though they both knew that Konoha was a better place to rise their daughter, Konan couldn't stop her instinctual desire to keep her closer and protect her from everything. "I know." Was her only comment as Pein tightened his grip around her.

"It's time." He said as they both slowly pulled apart. She nodded accepting her daughter's fate. "Where is the necklace?" He asked her as she withdrew a bundle of garment. He unfolded the small piece of cloth, where 'Sakura 28th March' was sewed on it in pink thread, to find a necklace with three ornaments. The first one was a red ruby in the form of an Akatsuki cloud, on its left was a sapphire shaped as a flower, the same one her mother always wore, and on its right was a pink ruby of a cherry blossom. It embodied who she was. The Akatsuki's goals ran deeper in her veins than anything that could be taught or learned, she would be as fierce and strong as her mother while she maintained the grace and fragile beauty of a cherry blossom. It was who she was, who she is and who she'll be.

He put the necklace around his daughter's neck, careful not to wake her up, then he hid the piece of cloth in his pocket. Kissing briefly his partner's forehead, he took the pram in his hands and left the bedroom, closing softly the door behind him. He walked away, ignoring the blue haired woman's sobs. On his way outside, he encountered the rest of the members, except Zetsu and Orochimaru, who were all watching him from the kitchen. He nodded at them and teleported outside of the base where he took off running toward the land of Fire. He put the veil on the baby buggy to protect his daughter from the rising sun and any insects that may rest on his baby's sleeping face.

The leader of the dangerous, yet still anonymous to most, organization had been running for the whole day. He didn't stop unless his daughter cried, which usually meant she wanted to eat or she needed to get changed. By sunset he was two hours away from Konohagakure. Ever since he left the base, his chakra had been masked entirely, not even the best censor could know that he was in the forest. Thankfully, his daughter was still too young, her chakra pathways weren't completely developed. So, at least she didn't present a danger to herself. He continued running, and after checking the area from any hidden ninja, he put a soundproof jutsu around his daughter to stop her cries from being heard by anyone but him. Once he arrives inside Konohagakure, he'll take it off and plan for how she'll meet the Hokage.

Stopping atop the Hokage's Monument, he looked over the village for a few minutes, relaxing after a daylong run. After taking a good glimpse at the peaceful village, he started walking calmly toward where he last felt the Third Hokage's chakra. He had already released the sound barrier and soon he arrived next to forest where the ex-Hokage was to come by in a few minutes. He needed to act rapidly if he wanted everything to go smoothly. Putting the pram on a clear view, he quickly burned on the piece of cloth a single word 'protect' with his chakra. Waking her up, he told started talking to her hastily.

"Listen to me Sakura, your father is going away now. You're going to be living with new people and you have to be patient. Don't rush things and always put your everything in all of your work. I know that you're going to be great, you're going to change this world, make it a better place, I can already feel it. Besides, you're my angel, my princess, our saving grace. You're the Akatsuki's Hime. You're Amegakure Tenshi. But for now, you're my little daughter who's going to be a little troublemaker, okay? Goodbye Sakura, I love you."

With those words, he shunshined to the closest tree. Masking once again his chakra and regulating his breath so it could resemble to that of a bird, he continued looking over his daughter. He watched her as she stayed silent and watched her surrounding curiously. She truly was brilliant. She had never cried for anything else other than her milk or for a change of diapers. She was always watching the world around her with her lively emerald green eyes. She had always hated the dolls her mother used to buy her and only enjoyed sitting on someone's lap watching him work, whether it was Sasori, Kakuzu or himself. Kisame and Hidan were the only exceptions with whom she actually played. She was an intelligent child, if put to work she could be classified as a genius.

"Well, well, well... What do we have here?" Came the older man's voice as he saw the pram before he walked toward it. "Oh my! Who would leave such a cute little girl out here? Tell me what's your name, little one?" He paused for a few moments as he pulled the carriage in his arms. "What's this, hm?" He started reading what was sewn on the cloth. "Hello Sakura, I'm Hiruzen Sarutobi but you can call me oji-san, okay? Oh you're a big girl now, already five months old! Well then, how about you come live with me? What do you think?" He just received a curious look from the little girl. "I'll take that as a yes, alright? I'm sure that my wife would absolutely adore you, she has been bugging my kids for grandchildren, yes I'm an old man, little Sakura."

As the ex-Hokage turned away from the forest and started walking toward the village, the young girl, as if just realizing that she won't return to her family, started crying, loud pain filled cries accompanied the older man as he moved toward the more populated part of the village. The once crying child stopped upon noticing the multiple lights that illuminated the dark night sky. She continued watching the many people who walked past her curiously until she was lulled to sleep by the slow cadence of the Third Hokage. While the duo walked away from the forest, the orange headed man continued staring at them until they completely disappeared into the crowd and were nothing but a part from the big mass of heads.

"Goodbye, cherry blossom. We'll meet again one day, that I promise you." With those whispered words, the man all but disappeared, leaving nothing behind him as he started running back to the base. One day they'll meet again. One day they'll meet on the battlefield on the two opposing sides. One day they'll be a family once again. One day, everything will stop.

* * *

_**Heyy!**_

_**Yeah, I know it's been a week since I posted the Prologue, but! I have a good reason, I've been writing the almost one month due chapter for another story. Also, I didn't exactly plan for this chapter. In fact, it was all ayingChan idea which I thank a lot :3 I was in fact going to write immediately her arrival in Konoha, but I can't resist the Akatsuki moments with a chibi!Sakura who can?! XD**_

**I wanted to make a moment with every member of the Akatsuki, but we can't have everything we want, ne? Although we can try to make the best of it. So I hope I ****_did_**** make the best of it though :s yeah, I think that I made all the characters a tad bit too much OOC, well they were enchanted by Sakura so :P **

**I'm going to try to post the next chapter faster than this one but I can't make any promises, all I can say is that I'm ****_not_**** going to stop this story until it's the end that I have planned which will never change. Also, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and the Akatsuki moments with chibi!Sakura and want to thank my first reviewer ****_ladybugsscareme_**** so here thank you :)**

**So don't forget to review and constructive criticism is appreciated :-)**

**sharkswillruledaWORLD is out ;)**


	3. Chapter 2: Arrival Rejection Shopping

_**A Cherry Blossom's Life:**_

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto**

* * *

**Chapter 2: Arrival, Rejection... Shopping?**

**~Akatsuki Headquarter~Dawn~**

It was an early morning when an orange headed man entered the base. As soon as the members felt the chakra barrier shift, they all appeared in front of him, ready to attack him. It was a this moment that the leader remembered that his chakra was still fully masked, therefore he let it seep partially, to make his presence known inside the base. All of them abided by this rule. As the standing men put away their weapons, the blue skinned man asked the question that was plaguing everyone's mind.

"So, did the old man take her without troubles?"

"Yes, he seemed to take a liking to Sakura." With those last words, he started searching for his partner.

"Of course, he'd love her, who wouldn't love a pink haired brat with green eyes?" Hidan commented as soon as the leader left them. What Hidan didn't realize was that he had just confessed that he too liked little Sakura, however one of the members said anything about his statement. Because it was what happened to all of them.

While the rest of the members slowly dispersed, the leader of the organization had arrived to where he felt her chakra, inside Sakura's bedroom. He sighed tiredly. He had been running during the whole day and all he wanted was a warm bed where he could rest for a few hours. Entering the pink bedroom, he saw his partner sitting in the armchair that was always next to the baby's crib. Konan was sleeping there with their daughter's clothes folded on her knees. All her toys were thrown at her feet, forming a sort of protecting circle around the blue haired woman. He walked silently toward her, then put a hand on her shoulder immediately startling her awake. She looked at him with bleary eyes that slowly focused on his face. As soon as she seemed to recognize him she broke down in soundless sobs. He hugged her to his chest and started stroking her head while shushing her. After a few minutes, she seemed to have regained a semblance to control over her emotions as she asked him about their daughter.

"She's fine. She didn't cry too much during travel, in fact she seemed to quite enjoy the cool winds. When we arrived and I woke her up she didn't cry and the third Hokage had taken an instant liking to our daughter. I'm sure she'll be safe in Konoha. Besides, there she can meet other children her age. It's better than growing with those morons that will only make her stupid with everything they say. I'm sure that the Third will protect her from Danzou's clutches. See, she'll be happy. Now our mission is to work and prepare this organization until the time is right to tell her everything, okay?"

He felt her nod slowly against his chest. He let out a tired sigh. "Come on, we must return to Amegakure and seal this room. Just go to your bedroom for now and take a bath. I'll seal it then I'll call a meeting to announce the missions and our return to the principal base." She nodded again, albeit a little jerkily before she stood up on shaky legs and started walking toward her bedroom.

The orange haired man looked over the pink bedroom for one last time. He walked toward the crib and ran along a finger. Looking over the twenty or so beheaded dolls, he let out a dry chuckle. His daughter was one of a kind. He only hoped that she'll remain so and not try to change who she was. Walking toward her the thrown toys, the geisha Sasori made for her, the bear Kisame bought her, the necklace Hidan made, the story Zetsu wrote and the filled purse Kakuzu brought for her, he started putting them all in a special shelves that he put a protecting seal over it. He knew that they were precious for the members and his daughter, and once she returns she'll want to see everything. It was the main reason why he didn't destroy this room and simply sealed its acces.

After tidying the room and putting all the thrown clothes in their places, he looked over the now empty and clean room. Giving a long sigh, he walked out of the bedroom and started a complex seal that will protect the room and let him know if someone tried to enter it. As soon as he finished, he called the members present in the base, except Konan, to the meeting room. He'll assign the missions then head toward Amegakure where he'll start doing the paperwork that he knew had engulfed his office. Yes, it was an ordinary day and nothing will change him from achieving his life goal, world peace.

* * *

**~Konohagakure~Nighttime~**

"Honey, look what I have here!" Came an old man's voice as soon as he entered his house.

His wife, a woman in her sixties looked over to where her husband's voice was coming. She almost dropped the tea cup she had in her hands upon seeing what he was carrying, a baby in a pram. The woman had never seeing such a weird combination, bubblegum hair and emerald green eyes. She was very pale, clearly she wasn't from the Land of Fire nor from the Wind. She silently wondered how her parents looked like for her to have such extravagant colors. However it fit her perfectly. The woman couldn't have imagined another hair color, or eyes color for that matter, that would have suited the child better. She looked like a princess from the fairy tales read for the children. Her cheeks were stained with trails of tears. Clearly she had been crying, although she seemed to be calm now.

The baby girl was looking at her with curious eyes. She wasn't afraid from strangers, which could be a good and a bad thing. While it's true that she should be wary from strangers, she can't make friends if she's too afraid to even talk with anyone. Looking up at her husband's smiling face, she approached the carriage after she had put her cup on the table. She had wanted little children for so long and her kids who are still single or too young. Kids these days! They don't think about settling down and starting a little family. Oh no! They want to do great things at first before they think about marriage. Shaking her head, the woman took the pink haired baby in her hands and smiled softly at her. She was awarded with the little girl's own brilliant smile.

"What's your name little one?" Turning her head toward her husband, "where did you find her?"

"Her name's Sakura and she was born the 28th of March. I found her in the forest with this." He showed her the small piece of tissu where her name and birthday, they guessed, were sewn, and below was burnt in chakra, the word protect. Clearly this little child was important, however it didn't explain why she was left in the forest on her own.

"I already told Minato to send Anbu in the forest to search for any trace of ninja. Also I didn't find any blood or signs of a previous combat." He answered her questioning look.

"Why did they leave you alone in the forest of Konoha with the only message to protect you, little one?" Sarutobi asked Sakura who looked at him with the same curious eyes.

"Sarutobi-sama!" The voice of Minato ripped through the silence that had followed the ex-Hokage's question.

"Ah, Minato-kun! How is the search going? Did you find anything?" The old man asked as he took the blonde man to the leaving room

"Good evening Lord Sarutobi, Lady Sarutobi. Unfortunately the search parties came back empty handed." The young Hokage sighed dejectedly. "It was as if the girl appeared on her own there. Not a single trace of chakra could be found. Though there are still two teams of Anbu that are searching outside of Konoha." He said.

"Here, hold Hiruzen-kun Sakura-chan, I'm going to prepare tea." Biwako said as she handed the surprisingly still awake child to her husband.

As the ex-Hokage took the pink haired girl in his arms, a jingle was heard, immediately snapping the attention of the three persons present in the room. Pulling a little her dress, Hiruzen found a necklace around her neck. Taking it off, he showed the ornaments to the others. They all looked at the three precious stones, a red ruby, a sappire and a pink ruby shaped into a cloud, a rose and a cherry bloom respectively. They knew that the pink cherry blossom symbolized the little child in their hands, then it only meant that the other ornaments were for her parents. The blue rose stood most likely for her mother while the red cloud for her father. As the two men and woman looked at the necklace, the front door opened suddenly, startling everyone. The fourth Hokage immediately tensed as the sound of a cane hitting the wooden floor was heard. Shimura Danzou appeared in the leaving room with a from settled on his face.

"What's the meaning of this? Hiruzen! I demand explanations!" He said angrily before pausing momentarily looking at the necklace. "What's this in your hand?"

"Danzou, my friend take a seat then we can talk." The ex-Hokage told him kindly but with enough authority to make him sit.

"Now, this is Sakura." He showed him the child. "I found her in the forest with this necklace and this piece of cloth." A silence engulfed the room as the newcomer looked at the objects.

The fourth noticed how he quickly dismissed the tissu but took interest in the ornaments, especially the red ruby. He looked as if he recognized it, which didn't sit well with the fourth Hokage's conscience. He knew the amn to be dangerous, also he knew that wanted to be named Third Hokage in his stead. Furthermore, he knew of his secret organization that was supposedly disbanded with the end of the Third Shinobi World War, however Jiraya's intelligence told him otherwise. However with no official proof nor any knowledge of its location, the young blond haired man couldn't act against him. Though he was trying to get rid of the rotten Konoha Coucil, without any success.

"Shimura-san," Minato didn't respect him enough to address him with 'sama', "you seem to have recognized the red cloud. Perhaps you could enlighten us a little bit?"

"I'm afraid that the only thing I can say about these ornaments that they symbolize the brat's family. Otherwise I'm sure that I don't know no more than you do, Minato-san." He said in a tone faussly polite and regrettable. "However I'm sure that if I take her under my wing, I may make her one of Konoha's most powerful and faithful Kunoichi. I'm sure you know we can't interrogate her at this age, nor can we ask the help of Yamanaka Inoichi for the known reason that mental strain put on her may damage her brain permanently."

"Of course, however I'd prefer to keep the child with me if Minato-kun agrees." Interjected Sarutobi Hiruzen with a smile to his equally smiling wife.

"But of course Sarutobi-sama!" The young man couldn't be happier to agree.

The newcomer left as quickly as he arrived with a muttered 'goodnight'. As the door was shut, the younger man's shoulders dropped as he sighed. This little girl was turning out to be quite the mystery, if she managed to catch the attention of Danzou. He'll have to ask Jiraya to search for someone with a red cloud. If Danzou wanted to train her then she must come from some string clan or something similar. And to be able to face him, he must have more information on the young mystery that appeared in Konoha's forest.

"How is Kushina, Minato-kun?" The voice of Biwako snapped him from his musings.

"Ah! She's fine. She's on her eight month." He said happily. "She told me that Mikoto-san had already given birth to a second son, and that she's actually mad at me for not making her pregnant before her friend." He said with s crimson red face,which earned him the laughter of the elder couple.

"I see. Well, you better be off now before she gets angry at you for being too late." The old man advised him good naturally which resulted in the comical widening of the blond man's eyes and swift paleness.

"Goodnight." He bowed before disappearing using one of his special kunais. The couple laughed again before sobering with the whimpering of the young child.

"Now, now. Why is the little princess crying, hm? Are you hungry?" The man asked her as his wife looked in the carriage to find a small pack.

"Dear, look at this." She said showing him the three bottles, one was still filled with milk unlike the other two. Letting her husband bottle feed the pink haired baby, Biwako took out firstly the thick cover that had been covering Sakura when she found her, and another lighter one. She also found four dresses and four changes of diapers. Putting everything on the table, she looked over the dresses. They were all finely made. It was clear that her parents were quite rich.

The old lady looked over her husband holding the small girl. She had always wanted a girl. Alas, she had only two sons. Though she did love them and would do anything for them, she wanted a girl to spoil, buy the fluffy pink dresses and all the dolls. Besides, now that her two sons were old enough to take care of themselves, she wouldn't have to divide her attention over three children, just Sakura. She looked over her husband with the already asleep baby, she was just too cute. They'll need to buy her a bed and clothes and everything. Ad if Sakura chose to be a ninja, she'll have so many friends with whom she could play. There were many clans who had already given birth to an heir or are still pregnant. Clans such as the Uchiha, the Hyuuga, the Nara, the Aburame. Also the young Minato was expecting a child.

Biwako Sarutobi could already see little Sakura playing freely with the other children. They would run around the village planning mischief and hiding from the teacher. But her little Sakura would be such a bright child. She'll be considered a genius if she put her whole in her work. And she'll be such beautiful lady when she grows up. She'll be attracting so much attention from the other sex that her teammates would have problems dealing with all the fanboys and the suitors. The woman let out a low chuckle at the thought of the angry teammates chasing after the suitors. Her poor baby will have to deal with eccentric teammates. But with a little bit of luck, maybe she won't have to deal with it, after all not all teammates are overprotective.

She took the carriage to their bedroom, and was soon followed by the heavy footsteps of her husband. He put little Sakura in the pram that was next to their shared bed. After they were both ready for bed, they laid next to each other in a comfortable silence. They were both immersed in thoughts. Thoughts that revolved around the pink sleeping baby. They knew they could take care of her for as long as they lived. And they both hoped they would live long enough to see her all grown up and to be the bet kunoichi to be. While Hiruzen was thinking about the child's strange appearance, his wife was reviewing the best shops where she could go tomorrow. Maybe she'll meet Kushina or Mikoto, they were such lovely women. Biwako could still remember how the two first met. They were Chunin when they had their first ever mission together and since then, they hit it off as if they were childhood friends.

Looking toward her husband, Biwako couldn't help but think about her sons' reaction toward their newest addition. She was worried that they wouldn't accept her or think of her as a stranger, or worst a parasite. And what if they thought that she'll take their place and that Hiruzen or her will replace them and love her more than them. Without saying anything, her husband knew that she was worried about their sons' reaction toward the little addition.

"Don't worry about anything. I'm sure that they will love her. And maybe Asuma would stop his rebellious tendencies." With his simple words, all her worries disappeared. And with a tired smile directed toward him, Biwako fell asleep.

As Hiruzen listened to his wife's regulated breath, he started thinking about the mysterious appearance of the young child. He remembered how it was a night like others where he'd take a stroll around the village and finish with a small ramble in the forest next to Konoha's Monument. It was no coincidence that the child appeared there when he was in the forest. However he didn't understand why she wasn't crying when he arrived. Perhaps the person who left her was there a few moments ago? But he didn't feel any presence. Perhaps the child was used to the forest? But her skin's color said otherwise. Perhaps she appeared on her own there? But he didn't feel any shift in the air nor did the girl have developed chakra coils.

The ex-Hokage was perturbed by the mysterious circumstances in which the kid appeared. He closed his eyes in concentration. He was walking the same road he usually took. He remembered that it was a queer night. He was surprised by the silence that reigned there. Ordinarily, Konoha's forests were buzzing with life, whether be it the animals or simply the leaves movements. However, this night was particularly silent. There must have been something, or _someone_, that had caused the animals' fright. Someone powerful enough to hide his complete presence from him and the Anbu trackers. Hiruzen gave a long sigh, the girl seemed to get more and more interesting.

Then, there was the necklace and the tissu. Whoever brought the little girl wanted her to at least keep her personality. They wanted her to remain Sakura, born on the 28th March. Also, the child was obviously someone important, the burned message was proof enough of it. It was obvious that the word was added at the last minute. The person who put her in the forest wanted her to be protected at all cost. The three ornaments symbolized three persons or groups of persons. If he took the pink ruby representing the little baby, especially since it was shaped as her namesake, then the only explanation that would naturally come for the other ornaments was that they symbolized her parents. A much too obvious and down-to-Earth explanation, true, but the only one that Hiruzen could come up with.

He let another sigh escape his lips. A shameful thing to happen for the so called 'God of Shinobi' if you asked him. Minato was right. He'll just have to ask Jiraya to look around, after all that little misfit was Konoha's number one source of informations. Ah! They all grew so much. They all took different paths that led them away from each others. Compared to his teammates, Jiraya was the only one who still served Konoha even after all these years. The ex-Hokage couldn't stop thinking that he was becoming too old for this. Maybe after a good night sleep, he'll come up with other explanations for Sakura's mysterious appearance. But no matter the cause, he was all too happy that he was the one to find her. Both Biwako and him needed another young presence in the house. Ever since Asuma and his brother's leave from the house, it has been all too silent for his likings. So he was really thankful that he was the one to find the little pink haired girl. And if it was protection that she needed, then it was protection that she'll receive.

Lying back on the bed, Hiruzen let himself fall asleep. If he wanted to be able to face everyone tomorrow, he needed to rest and stop over-thinking everything at such a late time. A long day awaited him and he wanted to be able to think properly the next day. However, Sakura had other plans. As soon as the old man felt himself start relaxing she let out a piercing cry that not only awoke him, but also his already deep sleeping wife who only nudged him, mumbling something in the pillow that eerily resembled to 'your turn get up lazy ass'. Letting out yet another sigh, the retired Shinobi started walking toward the crying baby. Taking her in his hands, he began rocking her until her cries transformed to sobs and finally died down into whimpers. As he felt her fall asleep once again, he continued cradling her for a few more moments, just to make sure that she was truly asleep. Putting her in the carriage, he kissed her forehead before he went back to his bed. Now he can finally sleep.

**(I was planning on ending this chapter here but I wasn't satisfied with its length so here is the continuation :P)**

The next morning came far too quickly for Hiruzn Sarutobi's liking. In fact, he wished he was a child again just to be able to beg of his mother to let him slee for another five minutes. Getting up form the bed, he found that neither his wife nor the mystery child were present in the room. After a quick scan of the house, he felt Biwako's chakra in the kitchen. He went to the adjoint bathroom where he did his morning ritual. As he opened the door that led to the hallways, he was swept by the sent of the coffee that only Biwako knew how to prepare. He walked in a daze to the kitchen to be greeted with the sight of Biwako and the little Sakura already drinking her milk. After he kissed bothe women's foreheads, he looked at the already prepared breakfast. Smiling slightly, he sat in front of his wife and started eating. It wasn't until he drank his coffee that he remembered that Sakura didn't have left any milk filled bottle.

"I bought it this morning." She answered his silent inquiry with a smile and received a nod from her counterpart.

They continued eating breakfast in a calm silent. They both knew that this day was going as exhausting as it ever was going to be, thus they would enjoy this few moment of calm before the storm. Thankfully, they had time to eat, clean the kitchen and prepare the room that would be for Sakura. They sat discussing where they would buy the required equipment for the baby's room when they heard knocking. It was their sons. They didn't seem to be angry which was a good thing, though they shouldn't relax so early. The day has only started. They both entered the room that their parents and the little baby were occupying. After a polite 'good morning', the two boys sat in front of the couple.

"Chichi-ue, haha-ue, there have been rumors that you've adopted a baby." Started the elder of the two newcomers in a calm voice.

"Yes, it's true. Though it is not yet official." Explained the father.

"Aa. Can we see who it is though?" Asked Asuma in a tone he wanted to be indifferent.

"Oh yes! Here she is. Isn't she just the cutest thing to ever be?" Gushed the mother of the two sons.

Said sons both locked eyes for a few minutes, before looking curiously at where their mother was pointing. After talking off the veil, the boys were surprised to see a pink haired child with green eyes. She had pale skin, which only meant that either she never went out or that she isn't from here. The latter seemed to be righter. The child was looking at them other curious eyes. Eyes that didn't show any emotion other than simple and utter curiosity. She was staring at them and they at her. It lasted for a few moments, before the elder of the two boys lept at the baby and started hugging her in a death grip, immediately startling not only the old couple but also the younger child, Asuma.

Asuma Sarutobi, for most was a troublemaker who had a tendency to disrespect everyone and everything but the rules and live in a sort of detached way. However as he saw the poor child been slowly killed by his crazy brother, Asuma couldn't help it but to jump in and try to save her. After more struggling on both parts, the parents took sleathily Sakura from their grip and slapped the two fighting boys on the head, which resulted in their long whines and fake tears. The two brothers stopped after hearing the little girl's joyous laughter. They were absolutely transfixed by the melodious sound that left the little girl's lips.

"Welcome Sakura to the family!" Asuma said with a big smile that was soon replaced by a scowl upon receiving a kick to the shin from his older brother.

"Shaddup! I was the one supposed to say it." He glared at him then turned to the pink haired child with a bright smile. "Welcome Saku-chan to the family! Now you're my little imouto and I promise to protect you."

Asuma snorted loudly at his brother's words. "Yeah right! I'm gonna be the one to protect her!"

And so another fight started that was soon taken out to the garden. The couple laughed at their sons antics but they were soon interrupted by a knock on the front door. Uchiha Fugaku and Uchiha Mikoto entered with their two sons, accompanied by the Minato and a pregnant Kushina. The Uchiha matriarch had her younger son in her hands and was talking happily with Namikaze Kushina. The two men were discussing inconspicuously a few paces behind them while the clan heir was walking silently next to his father, a passive expression marring his face that the old couple didn't like at all. After greeting them and settling down, the Uchiha patriarch started talking with the ex-Hokage in his strong voice.

"Sir, is it true that you're adopting this child?"

"Yes of course, Fugaku-san." The older man answered with a smile.

"May I ask for what reason?"

"Yes," he paused for a few moments before continuing, all trace of laughter left his face. "The way I found this child was no coincidence. Whoever put her in the forest knew that I usually take my strolls at that time, which could only mean that a spy did enter Konoha without our notice enough times to learn my routine." His statement left most of the room's occupants openly gaping. "Besides, Biwako-chan and I both wanted a little girl."

Although he finished with a lighthearted smile, the persons sitting in the living room didn't feel as slaphappy as the smile was intended. In fact, everything that the old man said, most of it at least, left them worried and careworn. The only ones who seemed to be unaffected by the tense atmosphere were the babies. Even little Itachi, who was no more than three years old, looked warily at his parents and their friends. It was a known fact that he was the Uchiha clan's genius, one that had the potential to surpass the other genius of another generation, Hatake Kakashi.

"I see." said Uchiha Fugaku breaking the tense moment. "Some of the Uchiha Police Force will be sent to see around the forest, though I'm sure that they wouldn't find anything right now." He sighed deeply. "This child seem to be more troubles than I see her worth to be."

"Oh just forget about it!" Kushina exclaimed when yet another silent moment started. "All I see is a beautiful pink haired child who was brought here to Sandaime Hokage-sama to be protected."

"Ah! You're quite right Kushina-chan! Besides I think that she'll be great with an Uchiha, and Itachi is the perfect person for her! Just look at her intelligent eyes! She seems to be already storing informations with those curious eyes of her, don't you think so Kushina-chan!"

"Ah yes! I believe that she'll do great with our son! And they're actually the same age, don't you think Minato-kun that they'll make the perfect couple, with Sakura's bright pink hair and your golden one and Sakura-chan's green eyes and your eyes or mine? They'll make the cutest couple to be!" The redhead sent her husband a kind smile that only scared him. Minato started chuckling lightly, afraid of what she might do to him.

"But they'll be too bright! Saku-chan will need someone with dark hair to balance her exotic complexions. Someone like an Uchiha, Ita-kun or Sasu-chan!"

As the two best friends started fighting like they were rivals, Sarutobi Biwako interfered to stop yet another legendary dispute. It was true that Namikaze Kushina and Uchiha Mikoto were the best of friends, however they shared a strange bond. They're always too close for their husband's preference, but once they fight, it was like they were the biggest rivals or that they hated each other's guts. A strange relationship, true but one of the strongest.

"Ladies, ladies, because my husband just brought little Saku-chan, we didn't have the time to prepare her chamber nor buy her clothes, which is why I'm asking you now if you want to accompany me to shop her things." As soon as her words left her lips, the two women started squealing like teenage girls so much they were happy. The old lady smiled at their antics. "I'll take that as a yes."

"Ita-kun, will you come with us and help me with little Sasu-chan?" The Uchiha matriarch asked her firstborn sweetly.

The little boy who could never refuse his mother anything nodded before hopping to his feet and bowing in respect to the sitting men. Before her husband could say something, Mikoto glared at him harshly which made him snap his mouth rapidly to the amusement of the other room's occupants. While the ladies, the child me two babies left the house, the three men looked at them with a slightly worried look. As the door shut behind the leaving women, the sitting men shook their heads lightly as if snapping from a daydream. They looked at each others before sitting more comfortably, preparing to start one meeting they knew would tax them all their mental strength.

"Now, Figaku-san, I must show you what we found with little Sakura." The old man took out the necklace and the tissu and gave the two items to the black haired man.

He started looking at them thoughtfully. He paid more attention to the chakra burnt word than to the other informations sewn. Sending a little bit of his chakra, he couldn't feel any presence to the chakra already present in the tissu. A fact that left him bewildered. It was a knowledge everyone worked with, that chakra characterized living beings and differentiated them. However, the chakra used in this tissu surprisingly didn't have an entity. If Fugaku was to give the chakra a color, it would be grey. It was like feeling a rock or a metal, something deadweight it existence. Looking at the awaiting men, he told them of what he found. They both looked at him startled, they hadn't thought of searching for a chakra signature in the tissu.

"Impossible! If it's a human being, or even a plant or animal, it must have a special signature that differentiates it from others!" Cried out the Yondaime Hokage.

"Don't tell me something I already know." Snapped at him the Uchiha patriarch.

"Don't worry about that. I know that you studied the Academy curriculum. But how did he manage it? Even if his chakra was hidden and masked, he can't use chakra without leaving some sort of trace." Replied the blond haired man.

"Which is why I find this most intriguing." Told them the Sandaime Hokage. "There's an unknown person with this much power, who could enter Konoha and control their chakra so much that we can't find any trace of it."

"We need to increase the patrol. If someone could enter Konoha without triggering any alarm, then there's a possibility that someone else may infiltrate Konoha, or even worse there might be a mole amongst us." The older man sighed deeply before lighting his pipe before looking at the Uchiha clan head

"True. Now, that's aside, what can you tell me about the necklace Fugaku?" He looked at it for a long moment without a word before he gave it back to the older man.

"First, her parents are rich, whether their money is legal or not. Or they made it themselves, which I doubt, judging from the fine material that the tissu is made of. Second, I think that everyone already guessed that the pink ruby represents the child." He received two nods. "I would say that the other flower, a rose I think it is, would represent the mother while the red cloud the father. Though that would be a very biased supposition."

"I see that we all came to the same conclusions." Started the blond haired man. "However I want to add that yesterday, when Shimura came, he looked closer at the red ornament. There must be something more that we don't know of. It's why I'm gonna ask of Jiraiya-sensei to look around about the significance of this symbol."

Once Minato finished talking, Fugaku and Hiruzen looked at him blankly. Both were immersed in their own thoughts. For the Uchiha patriarch, it meant that Shimura Danzou had planned to use the girl, although at this age, not even six months, he already wanted her and coveted her powers. A proof to show her strong heritage. He needed to keep an eye on the girl if he didn't want her to be snatched by that wicked man. Also, if the girl proved to be the genius she already showed signs of to be, then he'll need to help her get more powerful and find some ways to make her attached to the clan. If he empowered her too much then she might become too independent and forget about the Uchiha clan, which he couldn't let happen.

While the black haired man pondered over what was best for his clan, the Sandaime Hokage was thinking about his old friend who considered him a rival. He remembered as a genin and Chunin, how he would always want to challenge him, whether be it in genjutsu, taijutsu, ninjutsu or even fuinjutsu. However, ever since he began training with the First Hokage, Danzou wasn't able to win against him. Hiruzen knew that he held a grudge against him and that he wanted to be named Fourth Hokage. The main reason why he chose Minato, besides his strength and sense of justice, was due to his youth. And if Danzou knew of the girl's origins and hid his knowledge, then he would be classified as a traitor to Konohagakura. Something that pained him and didn't want t believe.

"Yes, Jiraiya is our best hope at the moment." said the Third Hokage. "Now, Minato-kun Fugaku-kun, we need to discuss how we'll protect Konohagakure. If we think of Danzou as a traitor, then we must be most inconspicuous about our moves."

While the three men started talking about the arrangements that will be made to defend Konoha against possible betrayal or invasion, the women and children were walking outside of house. Lady Sarutobi with the bright haired girl in her hands walked in the middle, with the redhead on her left and the dark haired woman with her newborn on her right. The three years old boy was walking a few paces in front of them, sometimes glancing at his mother or the pink haired child. The small group hadn't arrived yet to the more crowded avenues of Konohagakure, which explained the lack of whispers and interruptions.

"Kushina-chan and Odayaka-chan are the only ones who are still pregnant, right Mikoto-chan?" the older woman received giggles from her right and an unladylike snort from her left.

"Tch. Minato-Baka is an idiot." Was her only comment.

"Oh! I didn't know that it was Minato-san who was pregnant. If I did, maybe I would have helped him. But how would you explain this?" Mikoto pointed to her Kushina's stomach. "Have you gained this much weight?! Oh my, you should lay off all of the junk food you so much like to eat."

While Biwako started chuckling lightly, Kushina became beat red, so much that a scary aura surrounded her. Unfortunately for the redhead, Mikoto was used to her temperament, and so was unaffected.

"I didn't mean it like that! Hmph. Just that Minato was too afraid and...worried." While her blush remained, it became more out of embarrassment than anger.

As the two women continued their friendly banter, a small boy openly stared at the strange way his mother behaved. She usually was shy and timid. The only times she was this lively and slightly loud, though he'll never admit it, were when his father wanted to train him more so than usual. And even at those times, she wasn't this happy. The little child sometimes wondered if his mother was a princess married to his father without her consent or a lost fairy that was bound by his clan. He knew that it was impossible, because his mother was an Uchiha, however he couldn't help but dream of an explanation to his mother's subdued emotions.

From the corner of his eye, he caught a flash of pink. Turning his head, he saw the baby still awake. He knew that it was an unusual behavior for such a small child not to sleep all day long. This child, _Sakura_, was always awake looking at everyone and everything with wide curious eyes. It salsas if she registered whatever that happened and already understood it. Besides her atypic behavior, her exotic hair was another characteristic that he knew belonged to only her. It seemed so unreal, as if it was dyed. The black haired boy already knew that it was an uncommon color hair, more so than blond or red hair. However, it may be explained by her unknown origins. The adults were right, they needed that Jiraiya person, whoever he was an informant judging their talks , to know more about this child.

As if sending his stare, the pink haired baby turned her gaze from the surrounding buildings and different people to the third years old boy. She looked at him as if she was surprised then started giggling softly, before it was turned to a full blown laughter, much to the black haired child dismay. It was definite. He didn't understand children at all. And though he promised to protect Sasuke and only Sasuke ever since he was born, maybe another person to protect wouldn't be so bad. After all, they were only babies right now, they were still unaffected by the world's cruel and dark nature. Despite the fact that most adults would say that he was too still innocent, Itachi was already aware of the human nature, power greedy.

"Itachi-kun, what do you think of Saku-chan?" Asked him the old lady, immediately stopping the other two women's bickering.

Lady Sarutobi had seen the two children's exchange and heard of her daughter's laughter, for that was what she was. And unlike most popular belief, her perception didn't dull with her old age. Well, maybe it was a little over-exaggerated, but she didn't see, or hear for that matter, at all. And unlike her two friends, she didn't argue with best friend and rival and forget everything. After a full minute of silence, the small child finally deigned to answer the long-asked question.

"She's a person I must protect, a white sheet that could easily be tainted if taught improperly." Was his curt answer.

"True, true. But as Sakura, a pink haired child, what do you think of her?" She pressed him. He looked almost surprised at her.

"Her physical appearance or her behavior?"

"Both." Told him his mother impatiently. Itachi glanced at her before answering.

"I think that she's quite unique and that she's no normal child. She's always awake." He turned his gaze from the three women and started walking, lightly wondering when he stopped walking.

The three women shared a look, before the black haired woman squealed in delight. "They'll make such a beautiful couple!" She said before sighing.

"Maybe they won't be so bad." Said Kushina. And knowing how stubborn she was, it was like her saying that she absolutely loved and approved of their match.

"Now with that said, let's start walking ladies. We still has to buy everything that little Saku-chan is going to need." Biwako said, immediately snapping their attention back to the main reason why they left the house.

The three women spent the afternoon buying clothes and furniture for the new room. It was a common knowledge that the Uchiha matriarch wanted a little girl and that her newborn was her last hope. And though she was sad that she didn't have daughter, she completely loved her sons, more so than all mothers. Uchiha Mikoto was sure that she was the only one who really meant it. It was a pleasant afternoon, they met most of the clans' heads with their babies, sending the men to the Sarutobi house, where Biwako was sure that her husband was still discussing with the other men. And soon a small shopping day transformed into a meeting in a newly opened teahouse, where they talked about the last gossips.

Much to the ladies' dismay, the tea party ended too quickly. However, since all of their husbands were still at the Sarutobi house, they decided to continued their meeting at the house where they may put all their babies to play together and get to know each others. And so, all of the clans' matriarchs were seen walking together, something that surprised not only the civilians but also the ninjas. Once they arrived home, they let the children under the surveillance of their husbands and all went toward the kitchen to prepare a feast that only happened during special occasions. Rarely did all the clan heads reunite for no apparent reason.

Maybe Sakura's appearance wasn't such a bad thing after all.

**Hey there!**

**I know that it's********a little bit too late (yeah right -_-) but it's due to a good reason. It's been quite the hectic week, I must say. Besides mom's late, very late Spring Cleaning, I had to prepare for a ten hours trip and results (thankfully I passed and I'm going to start my last year of high school) and yeah the time difference left me a little shaken. Although I was planning on typing this chapter and maybe another one during the flight, but it was ****_impossible_****, believe me of you've ever traveled sitting between your younger brother and even younger sister, you'll know how I felt during these ****_ten hours of pure torture_****. I know it's not a good enough excuse, but I wanted a longer chapter than intended and I wanted, no needed** **to put a little ItaSasku moment, though it's not much since well, they****_ are_**** kids. **

**Also, I'm not so sure when the next update is going to be posted, which is why I'm only going to say I hope you enjoyed this new installment, even if it was more of a filler chapter than anything else. And I must say that I'm not that proud of it. :P**

**Don't forget to review and constructive criticism is appreciated :)**

**sharkswillruledaWORLD is out ;)**

**P.S: Odayaka means gentle, I think.**


	4. Chapter 3: Behind A Great Man,

**_A Cherry Blossom's Life_**

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**Disclaimer:**** I don't own Naruto, it rightfully belongs to Masashi Kishimoto**

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**_Chapter 3: Behind Each Great Man, There's A Great Woman_**

Hi no Kuni, The Land of Fire.

Known for its warm weather, its sunny days and its many ressources, making it one of -if not the- most wealthiest countries. However, it was its ninja village, Konohagakure, that made the Land of Fire such a famous and feared country. Konohagakure no Sato, the village hidden in the leaves, also the biggest and oldest ninja village to exist. Although all of the proud Konoha ninjas would readily die than admit that there was something faulty in their village, none of them could deny that the near impossibility to withstand the torturous summer. Despite the fact that these ninjas had traveled and endured different weathers, from the burning desert of the Land of Wind to the freezing mountains of the Land of Snow, the humidity and heat that belonged to their native land was just too much for the suffering ninjas. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that missions became more frequent during that time of year than any other period, preferably outside of the Land of Fire altogether.

However, not everyone could escape the burning summer of Konohagakure, not even the most powerful ninjas of said village, such as the clan heads, the Konoha Elders but especially the Hokage. And while Sarutobi Hiruzen had resigned a few years ago, the current Hokage, Namikaze Minato, still needed him and requested his help. Therefore the ex-Hokage couldn't leave his village. Besides, he loved his village too much to just up and leave it, even if it was for holidays. Yes, his wife Biwako could easily say that sometimes, more often than she would like to admit, her husband's protectiveness of the village made her angry, or perhaps annoyed. It wasn't so much about the fact that he loved Konohagakure that angered her, more like his dislike of leaving it. She loved her village more than anything, nevertheless, she too needed an escape of the routine, of the unsufferable summer in Hi no Kuni and of the consecutive sleepless nights.

It was true that she had been craving another child to raise and help, preferably a girl. But she now realized that she was no longer young, and though she loved the pink baby with all her heart, her suffering bones couldn't handle too much pressure anymore. Perhaps it was time for a little family get together; she might have a chance at convincing her older son to finally marry and maybe who knows, with a little push, her younger boy to start living with them once again. The brown haired woman missed her troublemaker of a lazy son. Despite his stubborn attitude and his uncaring ways, she knew that he not only loved them both, but also little Saku-chan and secretly his brother. She was proud of him, he finally started to reconnect with his family and his village. She had feared that after his stay at the Fire Temple, he would become socially awkward and wouldn't be able to make any friends. Thankfully, he had met with kind children, despite one being an ancient disciple of her husband's student, the traitor Orochimaru.

She was quite saddened by the news of his betrayal. She remembered when her husband used to tell her about his melancholy and how he missed his parents. She had always cared for all of the kids, but it was Orochimaru to whom she was always more attentive. His loneliness seemed to have always pulled her and his eyes, his dark hurt eyes always managed to awake her motherly instincts with a force that was rare,y showing up. Biwako knew of his quest for immortality, and although she disagreed with his ways, she understood from where the idea was coming. She remembered her husband telling her what he had told Orochimaru about the white snake and its capacity at regenerating. She remembered what the youngster told her husband about his want, no need he insisted, to stop the death of his precious people. Yes, she missed and still loved very much the introverted little boy, no he was a man.

The whistling of the kettle, signaling that the water was hot enough to make tea, awoke the wrinkled woman from her musings. Standing up slowly, she gently put the pink haired toddler she had been cradling moments ago in the pram, before walking soundlessly toward the kitchen. Biwako was glad the little girl wasn't awaken from the sudden noise that had invaded the house. For the last three days, Sakura wouldn't stop crying, it was as if she just realized that her parents weren't returning. She felt her weak heart tighten in her chest. The poor baby was missing her parents and family and she couldn't do anything about it. Lady Sarutobi knew she couldn't replace the baby's mother, her memories were still too fresh. Within the next months, perhaps the baby would have replaced her older family with her own. After all, no one remembered clearly this stage of life. It was all blurry and we couldn't remember things until at the age of five or four the earliest.

Looking up at the clock hanging next to the refrigerator, Biwako noticed that it was already four thirty. In just a few minutes, her dear friends, would arrive for their daily tea party. After preparing her special herb tea, she pulled everything she needed from the cupboards and set the on a tray before going to the garden through the back door. As soon as the old Lady was out of the house, she was attacked with the blinding rays of the sun and the burning heat of August. Quickly rejecting the idea of an outdoor tea party, she returned through the same door she had just exited from. Going to the living room where her adopted daughter was sleeping calmly, she began setting the teapot, creamer, sugar bowl, three cups, and plates with small petit fours. Finally satisfied with the arrangement, the aged woman returned to the kitchen to prepare her surrogate daughter another bottle of milk in case the one she had been drinking from was emptied.

As soon as she put the milk bottle on the table, Lady Sarutobi heard a knocking on the front door. Looking back at the clock she realized that her friends always arrived at six o'clock. Chuckling lightly, she hurried lightly to open the door to the impatient red headed and the annoyed black haired, if her chakra was any clue. Opening the door with a smile already settled on her face, Biwako looked at her guests. In front of her stood two of the only women in Konoha she would call best friends. She was close to all of the clan matriarchs, and acquainted with most of the Konoha women, but Kushina and Mikoto always held a special place in her heart, kind of like Orochimaru. Although she knew she was old enough to be their mother, she couldn't dote on them as she would to a daughter, thus why they were considered her best friends. Letting the two women enter, the wrinkled woman soon found herself sitting in the living room, making small talk.

"So how is Sakura-chan? Is she still crying too much?" Asked the redhead as soon as the host of the tea party finished pouring the delicious tea only she had the secret of.

The older woman sighed before answering the pregnant woman as she gave each one of her guests a cup of tea. "Yes, the poor baby won't stop crying unless she's drinking her milk or sleeping, which is why the house is so quiet."

"Have patience, Biwako-chama. The poor girl is just missing her parents, that's all. I'm sure she won't cry after a few days with enough love and care that I'm sure she's receiving from both you and Lord Sarutobi. And if you need anything, like babysitting little Saku-chan, you can always call me for help." The black haired woman finished with a smirk that made them eerily remember the fact that she was a pureblood Uchiha, although she rarely acted like it.

"Ha!" Cried out the Youndaime's fiancée, slightly startling the black haired baby that Mikoto was cradling. "As if she'll call you to babysit Saku-chan! I'm much a better choice. Besides, Saki will die of boredom just by being in your clan compound. At least with me, she'll always be playing and laughing as loud as she wants to. So nope Saku-chan will stay with me."

"She will not!" Protested just as loudly the Uchiha matriarch. "Did you forget that I have both Shi-chan and Ita-kun who will always love and protect baby Saku-chan, and lets not forget baby Sasu-chan. And then someday, Ita-kun will marry Saku-chan and finally I'll have beautiful grandchildren who will always be bring lights illuminating the compound." She sighed dreamily.

"As if! Saku-chan will marry my baby alone, cuz I'm sure it will be a boy and that's final. Humph."

Kushina turned angrily toward the pram to see the same person she had been discussing about awake and staring at them all with a smile. The redhead blinked her eyes and approached the link haired girl, who opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something but couldn't. And all that came from her direction was small "ow" repeatedly said with both her arms raised toward her face, thus immediately alarming the other women that she was awake.

"Oh she wants you!" Cried out Lady Biwako who had been watching the duo battling over her baby daughter. The older woman internally scoffed at the thought; as if her daughter would marry anyone. Unless both she and her husband and her sons agreed on the same suitor, then no, no one will marry her daughter.

While the grey haired woman mused on who shall marry her daughter and her black haired friend looked at the duo in wonder, the Uzumaki survivor had taken the pink haired girl in her arms and looked at her still raised arms. Wondering internally what she wanted to do, she approached the girl to her until both the toddler's hands rested on her cheeks. As soon as the much smaller hands rested on the red haired woman's face, the younger girl emitted a shrill yell that immediately snapped the oldest woman's attention away from her musing and startled the black haired woman until she almost dropped her youngest son. Looking at the two glaring women sheepishly, Kushina handed the crying girl to her surrogate mother and sat back with a downcast face that pulled at the strings of Biwako's heart. Sighing tiredly, the older woman started lulled the baby to sleep while said baby drank her milk with a few whimpers here and there. Mikoto asked the hotheaded woman what she did to make her future daughter-in-law cry.

"Nothing!" Cried out the accused woman angrily. "I just saw her looking at us silently and I approached her to see what was wrong with her since Biwako-kaa said that she had been crying during the last three days nonstop. And then she raised her arms toward me, so I took her in my arms but she continued raising her arms toward my face." Taking a deep breath she continued talking just as fast as she's been doing earlier. "So I approached her to my face and as soon as she touched me she started crying."

And just like that the strong, stubborn and loud woman started whimpering on her black haired friend's shoulder while Mikoto shushed her with calming words and rubbed her back soothingly.

"She doesn't like me, Mikoto-chaaaaaan! What am I supposed to do when my future son will bring her to our house to present us to his girlfriend?"

"Calm down, Kushina-chan. Calm down, okay? I'm sure Saku-chan will love you in time." Told her softly Mikoto still rubbing her friend's back in soothing circle motions, before continuing with a smirk on her face. "I'm sure your son won't bring Saku-chan to present her as his girlfriend but simply as a best friend, because we both know that it's Ita-chan who's gonna be her boyfriend."

And just like that the last of the Uzumaki clan sprang to her feet, glaring darkly at her best friend/rival/sister. Her previous sadness was forgotten as if she wasn't crying on the shoulder of the same person she was glaring at.

"Now, now ladies... I'm sure it's Sakura-chan who has to decide who her boyfriend, fiancé and husband will be." Said Biwako reminding the two younger women of her presence while cradling the now silent toddler.

"Of course we know that Biwako-kaa." Replied the redhead with a small pout on her face.

"Though it does help to give her a little push toward my boys." Mikoto said with a glint in her eyes and a large grin that seemed to scare the semiconscious pinkette.

"Now, Mikoto-chan, I thought we already agreed that it was my future son who was going to marry Saki." Kushina said while shaking her finger, as if reprimanding her friend.

And just before Mikoto replied to her friend, the older woman interrupted her. "Mikoto-chan, where is Itachi-kun? I thought that you were always going to bring him with you to our tea party." And just like that the fiery Mikoto they both loved subdued into the silent and pushover that her clan wanted her to be.

"Ah... Fugaku dear thinks that Ita-kun spends too much time with me and not enough his peers, which later on will make him act unlike how all the Uchiha men have to. Thus making my poor Ita-kun a bad clan head."

"Mikoto." Warned her her hotheaded friend.

"I know that he's going to train my poor baby behind my back, like how the stupid clan council wants Fugaku to do. I know that they want to make of my silent baby a fighting machine, a weapon and a killer so young. I know that they want my peaceful child to develop the Sharingan as soon as possible so they can push him more than they already do. I know they want him to reach Anbu before his 15 birthday. I know so many things about them but what can I do? How can I protect my poor baby? They're going to break him apart from the inside out and I can't. Do. A. Damn. Thing. About. It!"

And just like that the strong ex-Anbu broke down under the gaze of both of the closest thing she has to a sister and a mother. She cried like she never did before, she poured her heart to the two women who were her family in everything but blood. She told of the signs of genii her son had been showing that she was sure the clan council wouldn't stop pestering her husband into using them for the greatest good of the clan. What a joke! The only thing those only crooks wanted was power over everyone and everything. She told them of the other genii, Shisui, who was already showing signs of fatigue and chakra exhaustion every time he visited her. She told them of the horrible training the younger kids, not even five years old! Had to endure. She told them everything that had been bothering about the clan and how it was lead ever since she could remember. And so for hours, she confessed the darkest secrets about her clan.

"But please don't tell anyone about this!" She supplied her two friends as soon as she finally ended her tale. "You have to promise me that you won't tell anyone. I-I know I should have told Sandaime-sama and Minato too, but I can't. Please I'll tell them everything, just give me some time. Please promise me this and I won't ask anything else." She begged the other women with an almost hysterical expression marring her usual gentle face. Sensing the distress in the black haired woman, both Biwako and Kushina agreed readily, even if they knew that they shouldn't have, but family came above everything.

"Hm... Does that mean that you'll give up on Sakura-chan?" Kushina asked with a fake serious voice. "Mikoto-chan... Ya know I was only kiddin' with ya." She explained, panicking upon seeing the tears leaking from her sister's eyes. She was startled by the sudden embrace of the dark haired woman, but she returned the hug nonetheless. "Aw man... You're ruining my shirt with your salty tears."

To which she received a single slap to the back of her head from the same woman who was embracing her. "Shut up and enjoy it."

"Ne, you know I'll do everything for you, imouto-chan." Kushina asked her friend jokingly but with a hint of seriousness in her voice.

"Hey, I wanted to be the big sister. So you're my imouto-chan."

"Ah no! I called you imouto so that means that you are my imouto."

"I am your big sister."

"No, I am."

"I am"

"No, me."

"Me!"

"No, me. Shut up, you...you... you stick you your ass."

"Is that the best you could come up with? How disappointing! You..."

"Now, no need to vulgar words, am I right?" Biwako smiled a gentle yet frozen smile at them that made the two women 'eep' suddenly while nodding their heads profusely while repeating "yes ma'am. Crystal clear ma'am". Truly these two girls were becoming more and more troublesome. Shaking her head, Biwako released a light chuckle that seemed to only scare the two women who were opposite in everything. Lady Sarutobi remembered that 'troublesome' was the preferred word that used Shikaku, which his wife had always been whining about how annoying it was, so much that they both became using the word too much for the Nara matriarch liking. Looking at the window, the older woman noticed that the sun was already setting which meant that it was sometime around seven. Turning her head toward the clock that was a few ways right to the fireplace, she knew that she had been correct since it was actually ten past seven.

Looking at the two young women, the wrinkled Lady saw them bickering once again about God only knew what. Rolling her eyes at the childish antics of the supposed to be respectable ladies, Biwako stared down at the pink haired toddler that had been silently watching them ever since Kushina and Mikoto started quarreling. Perhaps she had been living in a loud environment. Besides, what could possibly make little Sakura wish to touch Kushina-chan? Was it due to her loud comportment and fiery attitude that reminded the little girl of her family? However that didn't explain why she would need to touch the older woman's face. Unless she reminded her of someone from her previous family that resembled Kushina, yet didn't. Gazing at the pregnant woman, Lady Sarutobi tried to see what could possibly make her surrogate daughter remember her family. Perhaps Kushina reminded her of her mother, but then again she already knew that the blue rose symbolized her mother. And knowing how blue and red clashed horribly, she guessed that it was impossible for Kushina to resemble the young girl's mother.

With that possibility down, perhaps it was due to the red hair that had become oh so rare after the massacre of the Uzumaki clan. Yes, it seemed most likely that it was the red hair. Biwako believed that it was her father or some male family member, due to the different structure of the jaw, which explained why little Saku-chan began crying after touching the Youndaime's fiancée. Besides, the third ornament, that might have belonged to her father, was red. Squealing internally at her new discoveries, she snapped back to the real world. Both Mikoto and Kushina were pouting, while staring at opposite directions. The older woman shook her head slightly, before she turned to look at the silent Uchiha baby. Unlike the pink haired child, he had been asleep during the whole time the two friends had been rowing. Obviously the little Sasuke was a heavy sleeper, like his father had been as a child before he began his training for the ninja Academy. Lady Biwako didn't need to worry about the dark haired boy, she already knew that his clan would beat it out of him.

"Kushina-chan. When are you due again?" The older woman asked the redhead to dissipate the tension.

"Oh! Sometime during October, most likely the third or four week." She replied with so much eagerness that made the other two mothers smile at her impatience.

"Aww... Kushina-chan is growing up so quickly." Mikoto said while wiping a fake tear. "It was only yesterday when Minato ad been chasing her like a lovesick puppy, while she tried her hardest to make it more difficult for the poor man."

"Hey!" Kushina cried out angrily. "I did not!" Seeing the unbelieving looks her two friends were giving her she continued in a more subdued voice. "Well, maybe I did for a little while."

"A little while? Yah more like for forever." Snorted in a an unladylike manner the Uchiha matriarch.

Just as the hotheaded woman wanted to retort, a knock was heard. Uchiha Fugaku arrived.

"Ah! I must go, Biwako-chama. It was great to have tea with you, although we have to support Kushina's loud and obnoxious ways." Mikoto said as she hurriedly took her youngest son in her hands and walked to the front door. She handed her husband the toddler while she put on her shoes.

"Figaku dear, how was your afternoon? Did you leave Ita-kun at home? He must have been exhausted if he didn't accompany you. Don't work him hard okay? He's still but a child." The dark haired woman asked her counterpart as they both started walking toward the Uchiha compound, after she took back the little Uchiha in her hands.

"Good, good. And yes, Itachi is at home resting." He answered her swiftly. She knew that her husband had never wanted to talk about something outside of the compound, especially if it concerned his daily life. "How was yours, honey?"

"Ah! Perfect!" She replied with a smile as she began telling him everything that had happened the afternoon, all the while omitting her breakdown. "I really want Saku-chan to marry Ita-kun!" She said as she finished her tale. "They would make such a beautiful couple together and Itachi will need someone to help him during his life, especially him being a ninja. I'm sure a bright person like Sakura-chan will help him a lot, and the little thing is so intelligent! I'm sure that she'll be a genius." After her rant, she turned toward her husband suddenly as if just remembering his presence. "What do you think, sweetie?" She asked him with a smile that warned not to say something that contradicted her.

"Of course, dear." He placated her with a small smirk that no one but his wife noticed. "However she must be powerful enough to marry our son, okay?"

"But of course she'll be powerful. She'll be the strongest kunoichi Konoha had ever seen, even more so that the Slug Princess." His wife replied with such confidence that made him believe her immediately. They continued walking in a comfortable silence until the arrived the liveliest district in Konoha. The couple walked on, ignoring the different calls from the merchants to look at their products. As they started leaving the Main Street, the two Uchiha met with the famous trio of Konoha, who had all become fathers as of last year. The Ino-Shika-Cho were all talking happily. After all formalities were done, the Uchiha matriarch began asking the newly made fathers about their children.

"How is Ino-chan? And Shikamaru-kun and Choji-kun? I'm sure they're going to continue their father's footsteps. Oh, I wonder who will little Ino-chan choose when she'll grow!" The dark haired woman started giggling lightly as she saw the shocked expression of the three best friends.

"Lady Mikoto!" Cried out the blond haired father. "Don't you think that they are still too young to be discussing something like this?"

"No, of course not." She replied with a smile that swiftly transformed in a smirk. "I already decided who's going to marry Itachi-kun. And they're going to be so cute together." She let a few giggles escape her throat.

"And if I may ask, who is the lucky girl?" Asked the big boned man as the Nara patriarch watched silently the exchange.

"But of course. Who else but Sakura-chan!" She said with a wide grin.

"Ah, you mean the mystery girl who's been living with Lord Sarutobi?" Demanded the previously silent man, although he knew the answer.

"Is there another Sakura-chan? She is such an exotic beauty, with her tea rose hair and emerald green eyes. Oh! Have you seen her heart-shaped face and heard her melodic voice. And she is so pale and small and cute, just like an angel!" Mikoto ended her rant with a dreamy grin.

"However, it had not been discussed with the Elders." Intervened her husband with a grave frown. "She still remains a probable candidate, if she proves she holds some criteria."

"Ah, but Saku-chan is so cute!" Retorted the young woman with a playful pout, which made the three best friends laugh awkwardly at the obviously private banter.

"Um... We better go now." Started the Yamanake head with a slight cough.

"Yeah... Don't want to make Yoshino-chan mad." muttered his jet haired friend. "Mendokusei*."

"Which reminds me, Chiharu-koi* wanted me to buy more flour for her special cookies." Added Chōza, while scratching his cheek, before the two parties bade each other a respectful farewell.

* * *

_**Meanwhile in the Hokage Tower**_

"Sarutobi-sama, there haven't been any news about the whereabouts of Jiraiya-sensei. It's like he completely disappeared." The voice of a blond haired male interrupted the silence that have been hanging in the room.

In the circular room on the top floor of the Tower, two men sat opposite each other. The one who had spoken was the young Yondaime Hokage. With his gravity defying golden locks, tanned skin and cerulean eyes that shone with wisdom and intelligence beyond his age, Namikaze Minato was a handsome man, as certified by the majority of the female populace. But what these hopeful women didn't know was that he was already taken by the same woman who had always rejected him. The only people who knew about their engagement were the ninja clan heads and the Konoha Council, and of course his guards. The soon-to-be parents had agreed to keep it a secret until after the birth of their son, as to protect him and his mother both, seeing as the seal guarding the nine tailed beast would be at its weakest form during birth.

Though Minato was known for his cheerfulness and kindness, his usual happy grin was replaced by a nervous frown, which was slowly morphing into an angry scowl. Opposite to him, sat an aged man, who, unlike his successor, still held his composure and calmness. The wizened man was the Sandaime Hokage, also called the God of the Sinobi, not only due to his many prowesses and achievements, but also due to his generosity and indulgence. Sarutobi Hiruzen was his name. He was always seen with a pipe hanging on his mouth.

"Did all the Anbu teams return with no information?" He asked in a calm voice, perfectly hiding his concern for his ancient student.

"Hai. I don't know what to do anymore." The younger man said with a despairing sigh.

"Ah, did the paperwork really do all of this?" The wrinkled man asked with hint of amusement lacing his voice, after he let loose a small puff of grey smoke. He chuckled lightly at the confused expression of the blond haired Hokage. "If the Anbu can't find Jiraiya-kun, it only means that he doesn't want to be found. Normally I would stop until he decides t show up here. However seeing as this is an important matter that can't be delayed anymore, I would advise you send him a summon."

The Sarutobi clan head laughed quietly as he saw the different emotions race through his successor's eyes, from confusion to enlightenment and finally embarrassment. The young fiancé stood up abruptly and began doing a fast succession of hand seals, after he had smeared blood on his fingertips. Slamming his hand on the floor, the fourth Hokage yelled: "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!", as a small toad appeared. It was smaller compared to the ones he usually used during battles. The toad's skin was a dark orange hue while his -it was quite obvious that it was a male- legs were of a darker shade, almost red.

"What can I do for you, boss?" Asked the small toad.

"Search for Jiraiya-sensei and tell him that he's needed for an important matter in Konohagakure." The blond Hokage ordered in a stern voice.

The small toad frowned upon hearing the name of the man he was ordered to look for. All the toads were ordered by the Elders to stop looking for the legendary Sanin. Telling the newly issued order to his summoner, he noticed how his serious expression crumbled into a anxious one, as the old man's own visage settled for a worried frown.

"Why is this? Did something happen to Jiraiya-sensei?"

"No, Master Jiraiya is fine. He just recieved troubling information." Seeing the raised brow that only meant 'explain', the orange toad continued. "During the Third Great Shinobi War, Jiraiya-sama took three children under his wing. Training them until they could defend themselves without his help. However, he just recieved news of their deaths during the crossfire of Hanzō's army and the revolutionary forces."

The two men looked in sorrow at the toad. They both knew of who 'Jiraiya's pupils were. They were children born in Amegakure nd orphaned by the constant war raging there. They could only empathize with the white haired Sanin, seeing as they both had lost students dear to their hearts. Uchiha Obito was also a casualty of the war, which had left his other two students greatly scarred. Furthermore, his only female pupil was too killed during a war. The only living member of his ancient squad was left too much traumatized by the two accidents, that at a time the great Hokage feared his student's sanity. However, the silver haired man managed to live through both experiences.

While both of the Fourth Hokage and the hermitic Sanin had lost their students to death, the Third Hokage lost his to insanity and criminality. It was his desire for immortality that drove him over the edge and away from his home, Konoha. The wizened man had always cared deeply for the three members of his genin squad and tried with every way to make them the greatest ninjas the world had ever seen. Perhaps he overdid it, then again he had three geniuses. He just had to push them toward the right direction. But he failed in his mission. It was the only one he had ever failed since the one where the Second Hokage sacrificed himself for the better of the team and named him his successor. Sometimes, the Sarutobi head would question himself and wonder if his sensei didn't choose wrongly. However, whenever he looked at Konohagakure no Sato, he would understand once again why the reason behind his choice, the Will of Fire that the founder had left them with.

"Master?" Came the wondering voice of the small toad who had been watching the two men as their eyes slowly dazed and started seen things that were beyond the walls of this circular room and maybe buyond the protecting walls of the village. Immediately the attention of the two powerful men snapped to the summon waiting for their new order.

"Yes, yes..." His summoner answered in a contemplative voice. "I understand why the order have been issued. However, seeing as his input is important, you will start looking for him in a week. If he still doesn't want to, tell him that Minato will declare your absence as a treason due to his failure to report for duty. Am I understood?" His voice had become stern as he told the toad his order.

As an audible 'poof' was heard throughout the room, the young Hokage turned toward his predecessor, an exhausted sigh leaving his lips and a visage that seemed older than his actual age. "Did I do the right thing? Maybe I should have just given up until Jiraiya-sensei had mourned his students death properly and decided to return to Konoha. But I was afraid that he'll disappear just like how Tsunade-sama did."

The older man looked at him sadly, before letting out a grey puff of smoke. "Sometimes as a Hokage we make difficult decision where we have to choose the lesser of two devils, even if our morals differed and our conscience screamed at us to disagree. I hope, Minato-kun, that you'll never find yourself in such a position. After all, what can I do but hope for a better future."

The Sandaime Hokage stared at the window overseeing his village, with a thoughtful, yet worried expression. He felt as if something bad was going to happen to Konoha and the grey clouds that were covering the usual clear summer sky only added to the ominous feeling. While the wizened man was engrossed in his thoughts, the Yondaime Hokage turned toward his desk and pulled over some of the papers that had invaded his workplace. The circular room was immersed in a comfortable silence that was too soon for the two ninjas liking interrupted by soft knocking on the door.

"Enter." Came the strict voice of the still working man.

The wooden door opened to reveal the figure of a young woman in her early twenties holding a stack of what the blond haired man knew to be paperwork. She had chocolate brown hair and deep green eyes that stood out on her heart shaped face. She was petite with a hourglass figure and quite pale for someone living in Konohagakure, due to the many hours spent inside the Hokage Tower. She was elegant, and though she wasn't a ninja herself, she understood its ways, especially her being the Hokage's secretary for over five years and was graceful enough to pass as a kunoichi. But that could easily be explained with her parentage, her being the sister of the patriarch of the Haruno clan, one of the richest and oldest civilian families.

Behind the young woman walked in a fourteen years old boy. He had lighter hue of brown than the lady who walked before him while his eyes were of a darker shade, almost black. He was wearing his hitai-ite* in a bandana style and in his mouth hung loosely a senbon. His face was set in a bored mask, but the two men could see the hidden nervosity hidden behind. He walked inside the room in relaxed strides. And after bowing to the two powerful ninjas respectfully along the woman who accompanied him, he stood a few steps behind the woman who had already set the stack of papers in front of the Hokage. His stance was slack, yet ready to jump at any given moment. He would make the perfect bodyguard, especially knowing his protective personality.

"Ah, Sora-chan! Bringing me more paperwork I see. I'm too tired and I feel like my arm will fall down in any moment." The young man asked with a tired grin.

"Yep! But it's not like I made you Hokage, so don't complain to me Hokage-sama." Haruno Sora was one of the few women who weren't head over heels in love with the blond man. It was one of the main reasons he chose her to be his secretary, besides her being authoritarian enough to make him do his paperwork even if all he wanted to do was sleep.

"Yeah, yeah... Just give me the papers and let me torture myself in peace." He muttered softly yet loud enough for her to hear him.

"One yeah is enough, Hokage-sama." She retorted with an angry yet still playful glare. "And I didn't know Konoha's great Yellow Thunder Flash loved inflicting pain upon his self." She continued before closing the door behind her. As the silence once again engulfed the room, the two men could hear the soft snigger of the Haruno woman. The Yondaime Hokage sighed as he heard the only other man in the room, besides the hiding Anbu members, chuckle. Turning toward him with a calculating look that immediately stopped the agened man in the middle of a chuckle, the soon-to-be father smirked, making Hiruzen slightly tense.

"Lord Sarutobi, could you help me with this new mountain of paperwork?" Asked the younger man his elder with his best pout.

"Yara, yara... I could help you with your paperwork," he stopped upon seeing the blond smirk in victory before adding. "But you see, my wife is waiting for me as I'm sure our sons are waiting for the family get-together." And before the Namikaze had a chance to utter a word, his predecessor had already disappeared from view, leaving the young man looking at the double door in astonishment. The light chuckle of the young man was heard directly in front of him. The Hokage sweat-dropped comically for forgetting the presence of the youngster.

"Oh! Shut up Genma-kun. I'm sure that Kakashi would love to hear that his best friend had sex in his bed while he was on a mission and that an angry woman is waiting outside his door."

Immediately the chuckle morphed into a choke, earning him a laughter from the easygoing Hokage.

"WHAT?!" The furious yell of a man was heard just outside the window of the Hokage Tower, making the Hokage double in laughter and the Jonin lose all his colors.

"I-I-I can explain..." Stuttered a scared Genma.

"Oh... I'm sure you can..." Muttered sarcastically a furious, no furious wouldn't even explain the rage Hatake Kakashi was feeling. But just as the masked youngster made to leap at his soon going to be dead best friend, Minato intervened between the two tense Jonin, putting a hand on both men.

"Now Kakashi-kun, how was your mission? I wasn't expecting you until tomorrow, so I'm sure it went well." Noticing the nod of his ancient student, he continued. "You can bring me your mission report tomorrow. Now, if that's all, go home and take a bath Kakashi-kun." Seeing as he didn't move, the Yondaime stared at him trying to understand what was wrong. He had already remarked his stiff back, the minute tensing of his legs and the dilatation of his pupils. Kakashi was anxious about something and it worried him.

"Kakashi... Is something wrong?" He shook his head in response.

"Then what?" He was answered by a tense silence that was interrupted by his first visitor.

"We both want to be Anbu." Came the answer from the dark haired Jonin.

* * *

_**Back in the Sarutobi Manor**_

Sarutobi Biwako was cradling the small pink haired toddler, who had fallen asleep once the redhead left to her own home. Kushina had been kind enough to put everything back to place and prepare a new bottle for little Sakura who had started crying once Mikoto and her baby left. And ever since then the old woman had been holding her. Whenever she tried to put her in her new bed, she woke up and began crying. So here she was now, almost one hour later and the little baby didn't want to leave her arms. As much as it was cute and flattering, the wizened lady could feel her arms numbing upon not moving them for so long. Perhaps it was time to try again to put her in her bed, wether she liked it or not, even if her wails always pained her. Just as she was about to try, a loud knocking was heard. It appeared that her younger son arrived before his father and her usually early older son.

"Come in, Asuma-kun, it's already open." She heard a muffled 'yeah, I know' before her son came into view.

"Y'know kaa-san, you shouldn't let the front door open. What if someone entered without your knowledge or some thief or murderer, or worse a pervert or pedophile."

His mother, much to his consternation, started chuckling, before she managed to answer his angry 'What?! It's true!'. "I can't believe that you think that a pervert is worse than a murderer. Hahaha..."

"Hn." He scowled at his mother before turning his face to hide the faint blush on his cheeks. "How is Saku-chan? Did she cause too much trouble while we weren't here?"

The older woman immediately sobered up. As she looked down at the sleeping form of the pink haired baby, she smiled sadly before answering her son's inquiry. "Ah, she's fine, but she's been missing her parents dearly so she's been a crying little mess lately." A deafening silence engulfed the room, before Lady Biwako began asking her son. "So tell me how are you? Hiruzen-kun told me that you've been assigned a mission with quite a beautiful lady. Her name escapes my mind at the moment, but I remember that she has bright red eyes, from the Yuhi clan then. Hmm... What was her name again, Asuma-kun?"

"Kurenai, Kaa-san. Yuhi Kurenai." He answered her stiffly. He knew where this would lead if he let his mother have her way, thus why he decided to tell her in a voice he wanted to be bored that he found her to be an average looking girl.

"Average you say?" She asked him akready knowing what he wanted. "Hmm... I don't believe you. But you know, if you're looking for a girlfriend, or even a wife, I would suggest Kurenai. Knowing how her mother is, I can safely say that she must be an angel."

"Mother!" He yelled mortified as he heard the hoarse laughter of his mother.

"I'm home." Resounded the voice of Sarutobi Hiruzen as he entered his house. A few shuffles and one or two grunts later, the wizened man appeared in front of his family, which was missing at the moment his older son.

"How was your day, honey?" His wife asked him as soon as he sat in front of her.

"Ah, fine, fine." He replied before a grim frown settled on his face after he remembered what the summon told them earlier in the office.

"What's the matter, tou-san?" The stern voice of his younger son snapped him from his musings.

"We just recieved news of the death of Jiraiya's pupils in Amegakure." He told them his face stony, not showing any sign of the raging battle between his mind and his heart. He heard his wife gasp and a stray tear leak from her left eye. Looking up, he saw that their new daughter was asleep and that her bottle would fall soon, if not moved away. His son was silent, nothing was apparent on his face. Exactly how the perfect ninja should be, abiding the Shinobi Rule #25: A Ninja Must Never Show His Emotions. He personally never liked this rule, since it made their children too quickly to his liking. Perhaps now that the war was over, Konoha's next generation won't suffer the same fate as their parents and grandparents.

The silence was interrupted by Lady Biwako standing up, the baby still in hands, toward her husband. "Poor Jiraiya-kun, he must disheartened. Don't worry about him, I'm sure he'll be able to move on and he'll come back to Konoha as if nothing happened. He just needs a little bit of time to mourn his students' death." Her husband nodded in agreement. "Here, take Sakura-chan, I need to prepare dinner, so it should be done by the time Konohamaru-kun arrives."

The older man took the pink haired toddler in his arms and began caressing her head unconsciously. His son was looking at him with a guarded expression on his face, as if he expected him to breakdown. "Tell me Asuma-kun, how have you been? Are your living arrangements satisfying? Who do you live with?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." He answered boredly. "I'm living in a flat with Gekko Hayate, a nice guy who's mostly silent, though he's always coughing and stuff."

"Good, good." Was Hiruzen's comment.

"Father, where is your pipe?" His son's question made the older man's burst in laughter.

"Ah, you see Asuma-kun, there's a little baby living with us now. I can't kill her with my smoking."

"Rather, he doesn't want her to start smoking once she grows up, like a certain son of mine." Came the muffled voice of the Sarutobi matriarch from the kitchen.

"That too." Agreed the the Sandaime Hokage.

"Hey! It's not my fault that Konohamaru is smoking." Said angrily Asuma. "Besides, it's not like I need another reason to kill myself prematurely, besides being a Shinobi, ya know?!" Thus launching another fit of laughter from the father.

A soft knocking on the front door interrupted the laughing father and the whining, no talking son. The two men raised their brows in surprise. The elder son always entered his parents home without knocking, just announcing his presence upon taking off his shoes. Perhaps it was the fact that he was accompanied which made him knock on the door.

"Enter, Konohamaru-kun, it's open." The old man said making sure that the baby he was cradling didn't wake up.

The two men were sitting in complete silence, thus hearing everything that was happening, from the bumbling sound of the boiling water in the kitchen to the scraping of the front door. They soon heard two distinct footsteps become louder and louder, signifying that the two persons were approaching. Also, they noted that one was lighter than the other, and knowing that the elder son's strides were heavy, it could only mean that their new visitor was either a girl or a younger child. Soon the two newcomers arrived inside the living room, at the same time that the matriarch entered the room to welcome her son and announce that the dinner was ready. However all of the family, except the sleeping Sakura, was stunned to silence. In front of them stood a dark haired man with hazel eyes. He was in his mid-twenties with a small mustache. His hitai-ite was put on his forehead, while his choppy hair was hanging loosely in a gravity defying style, eerily making them think of a certain silver haired Jonin. The man was the older son of the head of the Sarutobi clan, but also a Jonin for more than a decade.

A few paces behind the Jonin stood a young woman in her early twenties, with chocolate brown hair and deep green eyes. Her hair was wavy, reaching her mid-back. She didn't wear too much makeup, a natural as Biwako noticed. She was petite and pale, yet held an air of elegance and grace. Their new guest was wearing a beautiful belted lace dress. The black dress was sleeveless and widened gradually from the hips to the hem, which was an inch or two above the knees. She held in her hands a black silk evening clutch, with silver studs detailing its front. The brown haired woman was wearing a silver-plated bracelet with round-cut diamonds and matching earrings were both gifts for their two years anniversary. The family already knew of her as the the elder son's two years girlfriend. She would always visit them once a fortnight. Needless to say that she was already considered a member of the family.

After bowing respectfully to the older parents and a small punch to his seven years junior brother's shoulder, courtesy of his brother, the patriarch started talking, immediately breaking the silence that had engulfed the room. "Ah! Konahamru-kun I now understand why you're late. How are you Sora-chan?" Yes, Minato's secretary was Konohamaru's girlfriend, it was the main reason why she didn't fawn over the Fourth Hokage, besides blond men not being her type.

"Fine, fine. I'll be returning to active duty in three days. Man, and I just started enjoying myself." He said with a sigh leaving his lips, earning him a chuckle from his father, a smirk from his brother and giggles from both his mother and girlfriend.

"Oh I forgot! Dinner is ready. Come on." Lady Biwako said as she started moving to the dining room. "Sit down, everyone. Oh! Sora-chan, wait here- I didn't know that you were coming." She went back to the kitchen bringing another set of plates, chopsticks and a glass for the younger woman. "Thankfully, I always make extras, knowing how the boys are always famished, and never say no to food."

"Arigato gozaimasu*." Replied Haruno Sora.

"Asuma-kun, fetch me Sakura's pram so your father can eat peacefully." The wizened woman ordered her son quietly, yet strictly, which earned her a grateful look from her husband.

As soon as her youngest son sat back down, and thankfully they managed to put Sakura in her bed without waking her, they dug in the food after murmuring a soft Itadakimasu*. A comfortable silence settled upon the table, interrupted here and there by small talk between the two brothers and Sora. As they finished eating the main course, the older son stood up, a serious look settled on his face.

"Chichi-ue, Haha-ue, I have an important announcement to make." He made a small pause, looking at each member of his family. "As you know, Sora-chan and I have been dating for more than two years. Yesterday, I asked her to marry me and she accepted." He made another pause where he took his girlfriend's, no fiancée's hand, showing them the silver ring. It was made of several crisscrossing rows decorated with sparkling diamonds. "Father, mother, I'm asking your blessings for our union." He finished his speech with a bow, still holding his future wife's hand.

"Rise my son. Your mother and I have always been waiting for the day when you will both marry." Said the older man.

"Oh, now I have two daughters! Don't move, I'll bring the dessert!" She said in a singsong voice. Soon, she reappeared with a chocolate cake. "Mikoto-chan brought it earlier with her and said to eat it during our dinner. I wonder if she knew that you have proposed to Sora-chan."

At this the fiancée blushed lightly. "Ano... Mikoto-san saw me this morning and congratulated me. She told me that it about time we married. When I asked her how she knew, she answered that as a fellow woman she knew such things. As soon as I wanted to ask her to explain what she meant, I didn't find her."

"Ah, Mikoto-chan has always been a perspective kunoichi." Commented the Sandaime Hokage.

"What?!" Cried out the two brother and the brown haired woman.

"Maa... Didn't you know that Mikoto was a kunoichi before she married Fugaku-san? She was one of the best Anbu we had, she specialized in espionage and assassination. Quite the dangerous combination, I must say." The three youngsters listened in rapt attention to what the older man was saying. They all looked like they'll start seeing the young mother in a new light, making the older couple chuckle.

"Now, how about Konohamaru-kun and Sora-chan cut the cake?" Lady Biwako asked, or rather demanded, before handing the fiancée a knife.

As they began eating, Asuma who has been silent during the whole announcement asked his brother the question that was on his parents mind. "When is the wedding gong to be?"

"We decided after my mission." Answered his older brother without missing a beat.

"How long is your mission going to be?"

"Two to three weeks I think."

"So it's settled!" Cried out their mother, interrupting whatever her you her son wanted to say. "On the 23rd September, the start of Autumn, the wedding will be held. It will be such a beautiful wedding with a light breeze blowing, the heat would have decreased and it won't be too cold that we'll freeze. Konohamaru-kun you better finish your mission as soon as possible, am I understood? This includes no stay at any kind of inn, sleep outside but hurry up. Okay?!"

All of the family sweatdropped at the authority shown by the old woman. Sometimes they forgot that she was too a ninja. "Dear, don't you think that it should be Konohamaru-kun and Sora-chan who decides when the marriage will be held?"

"But, Hiruzen-kun, they already decided that it was going to be after Konohamaru-kun's mission." She said with a raised brow. Truthfully, sometimes she wondered how her husband became such a feared Shinobi. Shaking her head, she continued. "You know, I think that Minato-kun should give Sora-chan a two months holidays, one month to prepare her wedding and one for the honeymoon."

"Aa... I will let you prepare everything, Biwako-kaa-san." They all knew that Sora's parents were dead long ago. It was why her brother was head of the clan and controlled everything. "Besides, I don't think Hokage-sama can survive without me." She finished with a smirk, immediately making the family laugh lightly.

"But of course, Sora-chan!" A bright smile lit the older woman's lips. "But when it's time to pick the dress, you'll have to come with me, right?"

"Yes, I will." She replied with a satisfied smile on her face.

"Ne, Sora-chan, if I remember correctly, you told me last week that your brother and his wife were going to see a doctor, right? What were the results?" Asked the older man after they finished eating the cake and his wife brought tea.

"Ah, yes..." She looked down with a sad smile. "Dr. Mamoru-san told us that they could never have a child. Of course they didn't tell anything the Elders, lest they appoint me as head and make me marry some cousin in the Damiyo's court."

"But now that you married Konohamaru-kun, they can't break it off."

"Hai. Still they can remove nii-sama* and force me to replace him. But I don't want to, nii-sama worked so hard and had always wanted to be clan head, ever since I can remember."

"Do not worry, I'm sure we will be able to find a solution." The Third Hokage said with a comforting smile. And looking at him, the brown haired woman really believed that everything was going to be fine.

* * *

"Can you believe it Hiruzen-kun?" Said Lady Sarutobi as she changed in her nightgown. "Konohamaru-kun is finally marrying Sora-chan!"

Her husband chuckled at his wife's enthusiasm. He laid in the bed, waiting for her to return from the bathroom. As she laid next to him, her arm draped over his chest. She began reselling him everything that happened the afternoon, pausing slightly as she remembered Mikoto's breakdown. She hated not telling her husband such things but she knew that she couldn't break a promise, especially one made to the dark haired woman. Suddenly looking up and startling the laying man, she stared at her husband with a serious expression, they alerting him that what she was about to say was important.

"Hiruzen-kun, during our tea party something strange happened." And so she told him of the small incident with little Sakura, of how she first wanted to touch Kushina to how she surprised them all by crying once touching the poor redhead's face. After finishing her tale, she looked at her wizened husband's face lit with the silver rays of the moon.

"Hmm... I see." He said after a long while. "I always knew that I married the perfect woman." He kissed her temple before laying back down. "Sleep now, dear. A long day is awaiting you. After all, you have a wedding to plan."

He looked at his wife's drowsy smile. It was at these times that he remembered that they no longer were the lively youngsters they once were. He continued staring at his wife's face, noticing the new wrinkles that appeared on her chin and the loss of fat in her cheeks. Maybe tomorrow he'll wake up before his beloved and prepare her breakfast and bring it to her bed. Yes, it's been a while since they had one of those. Closing his eyes, Sarutobi Hiruzen tried to clear his mind from all the day's happenings. He knew that if he didn't do it he'll think about his brokenhearted pupil, which will lead him to think about Tsunade and Orochimaru. But the deep breathing of his wife would always bring him out of the dark abyss where his regrets and failures engulfed him. Yes, he was quite lucky to have Biwako as a wife.

* * *

**Heyy! What's up, peps?!**

**I know it's been a heck of a long time since I last published anything, like two months or something... Yeah, sorry about the long disappearance, I kinda have been kidnapped by the extremely active criminal known as W.B aka Writer Block (NOT Warner Bros. though I'm quite the fan of **_**anything **_**they make especially**_** the Looney Tunes**_**) and of course his accomplice Lazyman (lame name I know :P) and during my one month and something long of imprisonment, the only thing I've had for companion were **_**Bleach**_** manga, to which I shamelessly admit that I've become an addict, though it's been a while since I last read a chapter, or watched an episode for that matter.**

**And if you're wondering what I've been doing during the rest of the second month, though I'm sure rare are those -if no one- who are reading this, I've been living in a deserted island. No seriously, I've been in this small beach village with No. Internet. During. Two. Weeks. At least. Yeah pure torture, more so than the heat actually. And here I've just watched this scene of Victorious with my little sister where Tori asks them what would they choose, to cut a leg or have no Internet. And you know what they replied... Cut a leg. Too dramatic for my own liking though. So, no Internet means all day long at the beach with cousins and stuffs and all night long roaming around like hobos, NOT literally. But you get what I mean... I hope.**

**So as you may have guessed, I absolutely love Kushina and Mikoto rivalry, and I have a soft for young Orochimaru, he was just too cute as a child :3 though he has always managed to get on my nerves ever since he appeared in **_**Naruto, **_**which means always.**

**Sooo, I'm rambling and rambling and I should shut up by now. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I hope that I'll be able to write the next one sooner than this one. But before each one goes on his merry way, here are a few...informations to help understand the story better:**

**-So during last chapter, I mentioned someone named Odayaka, it's actually the name I gave to Hinata's mother, since she wasn't given one, hehehe...**

**-Also, -chama is a cross from -sama and -chan, I don't remember where I read it, but correct me if I'm wrong, it's used to show both respect and closeness to the addressed person.**

**-Ah, I didn't know how the three best friends and the Uchiha couple should address each other, which explains why they haven't called each other by their name, except the only 'Lady Mikoto' at the start. It seemed downright rude to call her simply Mikoto, and Mikoto-chan was too close for my liking (especially with the presence of the stern, terrifying Fugaku) while Mikoto-san... I don't know, didn't feel right :s**

**-I know that Konohamaru's parents weren't mentioned in the actual manga, or anime for that matter. And I know that it was the Thrid Hokage who named his grandson as Konoha's protector. But, seen as he will die in the Kyuubi attack, there will be no one to name him. Also Asuma isn't smoking yet, as you've noticed. Everything has a cause, remember that.**

**-Yeah so while writing this chapter, I realized that some things didn't, or rather wouldn't match what I had previously wrote in 'Love and War', so now I may edit a chapter or two, or simply the whole story, seeing as I might get another idea, especially if some of the things that I had written seem now to be a little absurd. BUT like the evil person I am, or kind depends on how you look at it, I'm not going to edit L&W until I publish the chapters which contain the changes, which won't happen until a chapter or two after the Kyuubi attack, which will happen in chapter 4, meaning the next one.**

**-As you've probably noticed, this paragraph mostly is from the P.O.V of Biwako. Because, personally, I think that she is the one who made the Third Hokage the great man he is. Don't you think that if he wasn't married he would sink in sake and stuff? **

**-Japanese words used during this chapter: **

***Chihaku isn't the name of Chōza's wife. It's just the name of her Japanese voice actress, because she too didn't deserve to have a name of course in the actual serie. -sarcasm intended.**

***Koi is a term of endearment, which can be translated to dear, I think.**

***Mendokusai means how troublesome! Because I believe that Shikamaru picked it up from his father first.**

***Chichi-ue means father while Haha-ue means mother, both are used in a respectful way. Otou-san means dad and okaa-san mom.**

***Sora means sky.**

***Arigato Gozaimasu means thank you very much.**

***Itadakimasu is sort of like a prayer I think, it is pronounced before eating. I think it means something akin to thank you for the food.**

**Wow, that gotta be the longest A/N I've ever wrote -.- but Don't forget to review and criticism is appreciated :)**

**sharkswillruledaWORLD is out ;)**


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